Adore
by She Isn't Here
Summary: SEQUEL to Menage. Happily ever after isn't as easy as they had hoped. Warnings in chapter one. Jas/B/Ed/Em.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: My psychiatrist tells me that I don't own Twilight…or Harry Potter for that matter. And apparently I'm not really married to Colin Firth circa 1995. Dang.

Prologue –Black

He always thought that one day someone would snatch her from them, one way or another. Or maybe she'd simply get sick of them. He was paranoid, it was true. Bella didn't like that about him. She saw right through him. It made her mad sometimes, and other times it made her smile.

"You're so silly, Jasper." She would say. Or, "Stop being such a depressing dog, Jasper. I'm right here!"

But she wasn't there _now_, was she? He wished hard for her to appear next to him at that very moment, for things to be right again, for normalcy. It seemed that was all he could hope to strive for. Their "normal" wasn't everyone else's normal, but it was perfect, and he had never wished for a boring life more than he did now.

Jasper sat stiff at his desk. His classroom was empty. School had let out half an hour earlier, which didn't matter much since he hadn't been present for most of the day. Nearly everyone was gone, and normally he would be, too. He'd be racing out of that door faster than anyone, rushing to get home, to be with her, to be happy.

Not today. He couldn't move. He'd have felt dead if not for the damning beat of his heart and the lazy contractions of his lungs.

He paid no attention to the person standing in the doorway. They were watching him, but he didn't care. The person came closer, having made up their mind to approach, and a moment later a pale hand was on his shoulder, squeezing him.

"Come on, Jazz, we have to go. We're not doing anyone good by acting like zombies. We're not doing _her _any good. We have to keep going like everything is as it should be."

Jasper's face scrunched up in disgust. He looked up at his youngest brother, about to chew into him until he noticed that his brown eyes were glossy with tears. "You don't really believe any of that, do you Emmett? Nothing is as it should be, and it's impossible to pretend otherwise. There's no point. I'm not going to act as if life is good when I want to fucking kill someone."

Emmett bowed his head. "I know. But we have to…we have to at least try to be strong. We can't give up." He extended a hand towards his brother. "Come on, let's go home."

Jasper stood up slowly, a set grimace on his lips. "I'm not doing this anymore. I can't."

Emmett stared at him for a good long minute, then nodded. "Okay."

Jasper gathered his bag up, ready to go home, dreading it and needing it at the same time. He wanted to be near her things, to smell her clothes and her shampoo and to see her toothbrush on the bathroom counter. He wanted evidence that she was there, and that she would be again.

He peered wistfully into Edward's old classroom as they passed. The door was wide open, void of any living thing. The new teacher had gone home, a Miss. Tinsel, but Jasper didn't pay her much attention. Jasper missed Edward. He missed him everyday when he was in school. It just wasn't the same, and right now, he really needed both of his brothers. Emmett was the only thing keeping him from going off the deep end at that moment.

Emmett drove them home, keeping one eye on Jasper. It wasn't that Emmett wasn't just as torn up as his older brother, he _was_, but he knew that at least one of them had to stay strong. For now. One break down at a time. He had to be there for his family first, then he could go crazy.

"Mom and dad are coming over tonight." Emmett said, breaking the silence.

"Why?" Jasper didn't actually care why.

"Why do you think?" Emmett pulled into the driveway, relieved to be home. He gripped the wheel as he spoke, trying to keep himself from crying. "They're our parents. They want to take care of us. God knows it's hard enough to get up in the morning, much less make breakfast and take out the garbage. I can barely manage to take a shower. They're worried about us, and honestly, I'm glad they're coming. I don't think I've ever needed them as much as I do now."

Jasper pursed his lips. "Tell mom not to wash any of Bella's clothes. Or the sheets. And tell her not to move any of her stuff."

"I will."

"And the pictures. Tell her not to touch them. I don't care if she thinks it's unhealthy…" He said the last part under his breath, remembering how his mom had tried to "help" him the other day by taking away the photos he had grasped in his hand. She meant well, but she had no idea how painful it was. He wasn't simply grasping onto a couple of photographs, he was grasping onto the last remnants of a beautiful life. No one was allowed to take that away.

He went into the house first, heading straight for the bedroom, as Emmett knew he would. He watched him get into the bed, bury himself under the sheets (her scent was strong, he swore) and clutch some of Bella's night clothes to his chest.

He didn't move for hours, but Emmett checked in on him frequently…just in case.

_Suicide watch_. That was part of the reason their parents were coming over. They had to make sure they didn't _try_ anything. They insisted on staying for a few days. Emmett wasn't going to complain. It was a lot of pressure to look after a potentially suicidal grown man, especially when he was feeling a bit suicidal himself.

It was hard to move, hard to be positive. But Emmett was good at pretending, and even though his hope was almost non-existent, there was just enough to keep him holding on. Maybe…maybe life wasn't over. Maybe it was all a mistake, a misunderstanding. Maybe she would be with them the very next day, that night, in the next minute. Maybe he could do something…

Emmett walked into the bathroom, his steps purposeful and motivated. He picked up a lone hairbrush laying on the counter, jabbing his finger into the tangles of hair, _her _hair, until he was caught.

_Bella…come back._

**A/N** That was depressing. But don't worry, it get's better!


	2. Sleepyhead

Disclaimer: Do you ever get the feeling that you're so amazing that you own everything you see and touch? No? Oh, maybe it's just me, then.

**A/N** PLEASE READ! Finally, the official first chapter! I hope you like it. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as Ménage. This takes place well before that depressing prologue. It's the beginning of summer and Bella is finishing up her second year of college, and she is almost twenty-one. It's been almost two years since the Epilogue in Ménage. And I know a lot of you are confused after reading the prologue, but you haven't missed anything. That was just a preview of later on in the story. I am a HEA person, just so you know...

Also, I hope to update about once a week. I might be late sometimes, but I won't leave you hanging for too long.

In case you didn't already know, this is the sequel to Ménage. You need to read that first.

Warnings: Language, sex, sex, sex, possible violence, and sex. And drama. And sex.

Categories: Romance/Drama/Suspense

Adore

Chapter 1 –Sleepyhead

Jasper was often in the habit of staring at her. When she wasn't around, he usually had her face in his head, and when he was at work, he stared at the picture of her that sat on his desk. He was very private about that picture. The students saw him gazing at it when they were supposed to be working quietly at their desks, but they rarely ever saw the photo. Jasper always packed it up in his bag before leaving for the day. He didn't want anyone else to see it. They might fall in love with her, too.

Bella had gotten used to his ways by now. It still disconcerted her at times, but she didn't know half of it. It was a secret that was kept amongst the brothers.

But even though there were certain things they didn't say (because why freak Bella out when we don't have to? Emmett would say) they were happy. _Really_ fucking happy. Jasper always thought it could be a little more perfect. If only they didn't have to spend the days apart, if only it could stay summer forever.

_Only one more week_.

It was one week before the start of summer vacation, and Jasper's patience was officially worn out. Not that he was ever a particularly patient man, but this was worse. He couldn't wait any longer for the school year to be over. He'd woken up that morning, Friday, with a completely naked Bella in his arms. Jasper was never keen on getting up and going to work (sometimes he had to be physically forced), but today was tougher. He didn't want to go to work. He didn't want Bella to go to school. It felt wrong to do either of those things. All of them deserved a few months off, and today seemed like a good day to start.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Edward and Emmett, who wished for the same things but were much more practical, made him go. And Bella insisted that she had to go to school seeing as she had an exam and a paper due. But it was obvious to her three lovers that she was exhausted and _almost_ willing to bail. She hadn't been smiling as much lately. They noticed that sort of thing. Well, they noticed everything about her, but especially that. Jasper, Edward, and Emmett vowed to make this the best summer yet.

They just had to wait a little while longer.

As it was, Jasper sat at his desk staring at the clock. Nobody knew exactly how much time Jasper Cullen spent staring at the clock and flicking his wrist to peer at the moving arrows on his watch. He had gotten good at hiding his impatience. He used to tap his feet incessantly when it was almost time to go home. He managed to curb that, however. It was getting on his students' nerves. They'd snigger at him and whisper. He didn't like that.

Today he had the almost unbearable urge to make the bell ring twenty minutes early. Twenty minutes and he'd be racing through the school doors and speeding out of the parking lot.

_Not that she's there waiting for you_.

It was like that every day. She probably wouldn't even be home when he got there, not unless her class let out early. But he still couldn't wait to get home. Even if she wasn't there just yet, the house smelled like her, and her clothes would be scattered around the floor as a reminder of the previous night.

Jasper flexed his jaw, his eyes darting back to his watch, seeing that less than a minute had passed since he last checked it.

_Shit. _

"Mr. Cullen, I don't get this." Jasper snapped his attention to the front of the classroom. One of his students had their hand in the air, appearing both genuinely confused and wary of the handsome but intimidating teacher.

Jasper put his best effort into a warm smile, and went over to help. At least it would distract him long enough to not watch the clock for the next twenty minutes.

When the bell finally rang, Jasper met up with Emmett in his classroom. Emmett was tidying up his desk when Jasper popped in.

"Ready?"

Emmett nodded, wedging a pencil between his teeth as he shuffled random items into his desk drawer. Jasper rolled his eyes. Emmett really knew nothing about neatness.

"I'll drive." Jasper said, taking his keys out of his pocket. "Hurry up. I want to get home fast."

Emmett snorted. "You say that every day, as if it's some revelation. I want to get home soon, too, but you can't rush a man when he's trying to be friendly to his environment."

"You're shoving pencils and what I fear are pieces of stale food into your desk. How is that being friendly to your environment?" Jasper stepped back as Emmett flung what looked like a piece of bad lettuce at him.

"It's the appearance of it that counts. As long as it looks clean, then it as good as is." Emmett explained it as if it made perfect sense.

"You're disgusting." Jasper cringed. "Come on, or I'm leaving without you."

"Oh yeah? And where's Edward? I don't hear you bitching at _him_."

Jasper appeared confused for a moment before it dawned on him. Where _was_ Edward? He was almost always there on time.

"We'll catch him up somewhere." Jasper shrugged. "Are you almost done?"

Emmett grunted, shutting and locking his desk. "Fine, fine, you big pussy." He chuckled. "I should tell Bella tell how insane you really are. She probably thinks you're not as needy and pathetic as you used to be. But you're a total head case."

Jasper glowered at him. "Look in the mirror, douchebag."

"Hey, I never claimed to not be pathetic and desperate. I just hide it better than you."

Jasper clenched his fists, his patience quickly evaporating. "Whatever. Can we go now?"

"Yeah, just let me get my bag." Emmett gathered his belongings, taking longer than he needed to. Antagonizing Jasper never ceased to amuse him.

They found Edward in his classroom, staring blankly at the wall opposite. He'd been doing that a lot lately; staring at objects and zoning out. Kind of like Jasper.

"Edward, ready to go?" Emmett poked his arm, jarring him.

"What?" Edward flinched, quickly recovering. "Oh, yes…I'm ready. I lost track of the time."

Jasper raised his eyebrows. "Bad day?"

Edward nodded. "It's that time of the year. The kids hate taking tests, and they're all grumpy. One of them threw a spitball."

"Dude, that is so middle school!" Emmett chortled. "What kind of students do you have?"

"Mostly sadistic ones. Well, only one or two. Jackson Pebbles and Myra Clause are evil."

"I have them." Emmett said. "I torture them as much as possible."

Jasper ran a hand through his hair. "Can you two shut it so we can get the hell out of here?"

"Jasper, Jasper," Emmett tutted, "you're always so impatient, especially at the end of the school year. Have you noticed that? It's like you have PMS from May to June, and from June to May."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to get home." Jasper defended.

"I know, but you get all bitchy about it, and you look a little demented. Like Cruella De Ville."

"Emmett…"

Emmett chuckled. "Alright, bro, I can be nice."

"Good, now let's go." And with that Jasper stormed out of the school.

* * *

><p>He was right. Bella wasn't at home when they arrived back. Her last class didn't end until three-thirty, and it took her about twenty minutes to get home. As they often did, Jasper sat outside on the doorstep to wait for her, Emmett watched for her from the window, and Edward was reading a book in the living room. Jasper was the only one who didn't put a lot of effort into hiding how anxious and needy he was. He tried to appear casual, for Bella's sake, but he wasn't an actor and he wasn't good at pulling it off. Emmett was right when he accused him of being worse than he used to be. Three years ago, when Bella first dropped into their lives, he was awful. He was obsessed to the point of following her around the house and needing to be near her as much as possible. After awhile, Jasper had cooled down, because he knew how much it distressed Bella. She didn't want to be suffocated and she didn't like any of them worrying about her constantly.<p>

It was going fine, too, until she started college two years earlier. They worried about her every day. What if there was an accident? What if some crazed lunatic went on a rampage? What if she met someone else? It wasn't easy. They were used to being in control of everything, including Bella, to a point. But she was out on her own, and there was nothing they could do. She didn't know the extent of their paranoia.

So every day they waited for her to come home, a million thoughts plaguing them.

* * *

><p>On days like this, she wished she was somewhere else. Their bed. The cellar. The kitchen. A crocodile-infested swamp. Maine. Pretty much anywhere except where she was. School was something akin to Hell, she was sure. It wasn't always like that, but nowadays? Yeah, she was having problems.<p>

There were three reasons why school could be considered a Hell for Bella Mercury:

1. Exams (she was terrible at them)

2. Being away from her boys (she daydreamed about them more than she'd like to admit)

3. Professor Wesley

Bella shifted in her seat and glared at her notebook. She was in her last class of the day, Professor Wesley's, and the time was ticking by much too slowly.

She pre-occupied herself by thinking of more pleasant things. She thought of the night before and how well Emmett and Jasper had filled her. Edward had been the horniest, so much so that she gave him the most attention. She was still sore.

Bella felt herself getting wet. It wasn't the first time she'd had this problem in school. No, it was a common occurrence. But she was good at paying attention most of the time, and her patience was usually as thick as ice. Today that was not the case.

She wished class would end already!

She checked the clock on the wall.

_Six minutes to three-thirty…I could so smack this guy_. He always, _always_ kept them until the last possible second, even when they had nothing left to do. He just lectured about things he had already lectured about, or let them sit there in silence. She didn't know why he made them stay so long.

Yes, Bella wanted to smack him. Just a small smack, that was all.

Finally, he let them leave. Bella was the first one out, ignoring the teacher on her way out (he liked to say goodbye to his students, like the ass-kisser that he was). She wasn't in the mood to be friendly; she only wanted to go home.

Bella wasn't surprised to see Jasper waiting for her outside when she drove in. It was a welcome sight every time she came home. She didn't miss the desperate, wild look in his eyes as she got out of the car.

"Hey darling." Jasper met her as she slid out of the car. He immediately wrapped her in a hug and kissed her hard on the lips.

"I missed you." He said, pulling back. He said that everyday. "How was school?"

"The usual." Bella replied. "Smelly, sweaty students. Droning, dull teachers. Long, excruciating tests. You know, the regular joys of school."

Jasper smiled, gritting his teeth. He hated that Bella was unhappy. She put on a good front, but he was able to read her like a book.

"Want to go out tonight? There's a new restaurant that I'm dying to try." Jasper loved going out to eat every once in awhile. He loved finding new recipes, and he got excited when he had a particularly good meal. Bella still thought he would make a good chef. He blushed when she told him that and said that he would probably end up poisoning everyone and getting sued.

More often than not, Bella was all for going out when Jasper suggested it, but today she was exhausted. She gave him a guilty look, hoping he wouldn't be too disappointed. "Um, how about another night? Sorry, but I'm really tired. I just want to get into a pair of sweats and a big t-shirt and pass out."

Jasper brought her head closer to his chest. "It's alright. I'm not in the mood, either. Maybe in a couple of weeks when we have the time and energy." He kissed the top of her head. "Come on, why don't you go get changed and I'll start dinner. Are you hungry?"

Bella nodded, suddenly aware of how starved she was. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, and that was at eight. She wouldn't tell them that, though. They'd throw a fit if they found out. The truth was, she'd been too nervous and frazzled to eat lunch. Her stomach had been in knots, as it often was. Yeah, she wasn't going to tell them that, either.

Walking into the house, Bella went in search of her other two lovers.

Emmett had made himself look cozy on the couch a mere five seconds before Bella entered, and Edward was on the same page of his book that he had been ten minutes earlier. They both looked up when she came in, acting surprised that she was home. They had gotten good at this.

"Love muffin!" Emmett shot up from the couch and attacked, smothering Bella's face and neck in kisses. "I feel as though we have not seen one another in many a moon."

Bella gave his shoulder a quick kiss. "It does, actually."

Edward set his book aside and went to meet her. "Hello, love. Have a good day?"

Bella shrugged. "I'm glad it's over. How was yours?"

"Tedious, but better now that you're home." He took her out of Emmett's grasp and threw his arms around her. No matter how short a time they were apart, whether five hours or five minutes, he was always relieved to have her back. He breathed easier when she was with him.

"Tedious?" Bella smiled. "Is that better than being terrified?"

Emmett snorted, and Edward punched him in the shoulder.

She was referring to the infamous Jane and Violet, of course. Edward was at a loss for words when Violet had departed the year before. She'd done the unimaginable and gotten married to some guy named Ralph. And only last semester Jane had left Forks High for reasons unknown. Jasper thought she may have had a breakdown, but no one ever said.

So now Edward was able to walk down the halls without fear of being harassed, and he hadn't had to hide in a bathroom or a closet in months.

"I don't know. Being terrified keeps my mind occupied. When I'm bored I think about things that I shouldn't. It's a toss up." Edward said.

"Hmm…you could just think about me." Bella suggested, cupping him through his pants.

Edward's breath hitched. "I already do, which probably isn't a good thing." He hardened in her hand.

Bella raised her brows, questioning him.

Edward smirked. "I've had to sit behind my desk and calm down more than once. School is not the best place to get an erection."

"Oh my god…" Bella burst into laughter, putting her forehead to his chest. "Really?"

"I'm not kidding. You have no idea how mortified I get." Edward let his hands wander down to Bella's ass. She liked it when he did that. Bella's laughter died down, and with that she felt tired all over again. And a little turned on.

"Are you okay?" Edward fingered her long hair soothingly.

Bella took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm going to go get changed. Jasper is making dinner soon."

"Want any help?" Emmett asked.

"Depends what kind of help you mean." Bella watched his eyes darken.

"I mean," Emmett came closer until he was positioned behind her, firmly sandwiching her between him and Edward. "I _mean_," he continued, "I can help you take off your pants…"

"That _is_ a difficult task." Bella conceded, moaning when he rubbed his hand over her core.

"Mmhm, and your panties. And bra. You need help with those, right?"

"Yes." Bella bit her lip, getting wet as Emmett pinched her through her jeans. "Emmett…"

Emmett nibbled on her earlobe as Edward began massaging her breasts. He dipped down and began flicking his tongue out in between her cleavage, his nimble fingers undoing the top buttons of her shirt. Emmett applied more pressure to her heated pussy, happy that Bella was melting against him.

"Bedroom?"

"Uh-huh." Bella didn't have the energy to speak, she just let them take her into the bedroom and strip off her clothes. She never got tired of them doing that.

Once she was devoid of clothing, Emmett climbed on top of her, eager to get started. But while she was completely naked, he still had all of his clothes on. How was that fair? And Edward wasn't even close to being naked, either. Bella didn't like this one bit.

"Take your pants off." She ordered, squirming underneath Emmett, who had her pinned to the bed.

"I don't think so." Emmett clucked.

"What? Why not? Come on, I want you both naked and on me in ten seconds." Bella tried her hardest to coax them, but neither did what she wanted. Edward laid down next to them, his gaze intent on Bella.

"You're tired." He pointed out the obvious, which Bella was trying to hide. She was a terrible liar, though.

"Just a little." Bella pouted. "Its okay, we can do it. I feel fine."

They weren't convinced.

Emmett brought his face closer to hers until their noses were almost touching. He swiped his thumb underneath her eye, his demeanor softening. She had dark circles under her eyes, and she was paler than usual. He'd noticed the minute she had walked in.

Bella grew uncomfortable as he scrutinized her. "What?"

Emmett shook his head. "We were rough on you last night. Right now it's all about you. If we get naked it'll be kind of hard not to fuck you, and that's not what you need right now." He trailed his hand back down to her pussy. "Now let us pleasure you, my love spoon."

And with that he descended her body.

* * *

><p>Jasper sat on the couch, Bella's backpack by his side. He was fighting himself. To look in her backpack or not to look in her backpack? He was tempted. He didn't even know the exact reason why he felt the urge to snoop, he just did.<p>

Or perhaps he wasn't being entirely honest with himself. It was because he was obsessed with her, yes, but the obsession brought a keen awareness of her. He was aware, for example, that she was behaving abnormally as of late. She didn't talk about school much, or how she was feeling. He thought she was keeping things from them. He thought…maybe something was going on that she didn't want to tell them about.

But he trusted her. He did! That didn't mean she was entirely honest all of the time, however. She hated giving them anything to worry about, even if that meant keeping it internalized.

Jasper couldn't take it anymore. He unzipped her bag and took out the first item he touched. Her notebook. He must have looked like a madman as he flipped through searching for god knows what. He found nothing except class notes and scribbles and a few doodles. He shouldn't have been surprised. It wasn't her diary, just a plain notebook. He read a few pages, just because. She liked to doodle, and occasionally she wrote something observational, such as:

"_Miranda is flirting with the teacher. He doesn't notice, which is amazing. Her vagina is practically a whole other person in this room, batting its eyelashes and puckering its lips and applying mascara in a compact mirror. I can't believe I'm talking about Miranda's vagina like that. I need a lobotomy ASAP."_

Jasper smiled. When Bella said she was bored in class (which she said often), he had no idea_ this_ was what she was doing to make the time go by. She watched people and was in tune with her surroundings. Bella was always an aware young woman, and she liked to write down her feelings and thoughts.

Jasper was relieved. He found something, but nothing incriminating. He flipped to another page and searched for more of her "thoughts". What he found made him beam.

"_I wish Jasper taught this class. It wouldn't be half as bad."_

Jasper's heart gave an extra thud at that. He was being paranoid for nothing again. With a slight pang of guilt, he replaced the notebook and re-zipped the bag, making it appear untouched.

Instead of preparing dinner like he promised, he headed to the bedroom. He could hear Bella's moans through the door. He needed to be closer to her.

Jasper breathed in the smell of sex when he opened the door. He shut it quietly and went over to the bed, doing his best not to interfere. He just wanted to watch…

Bella's knees were spread wide open around Emmett's head. He sucked on her clit and plunged his fingers in and out of her at a fast rhythm. Edward had one of her breasts in his mouth, the other one in his left hand. Bella was trembling under their ministrations. She was helpless and electrified and so fucking sexy. Her hands clenched the headboard above her.

Jasper dragged his hand over his erection, caressing it lightly for some relief. It was no good simply watching. When Bella was naked, standing around was _not_ the thing to be doing.

Edward was startled when Jasper suddenly joined in, but he paid him little attention and quickly went back to the task at hand.

Jasper smudged kisses all over Bella's stomach, focusing near her ribcage. Bella reacted as soon as his lips met her skin. She shuddered at the contact, her hands turning bone-white as she held on to the headboard.

Jasper trailed his kisses up her belly. He nudged Edward's hand away from her breast and latched onto it with his lips. Bella groaned, opening her eyes to see both Edward and Jasper sucking on her breasts.

_How did I get this lucky? _

Bella was close to the edge, but she wanted more. It was absolute torture, the most wonderful torture. Every day she pondered her luck. Every day she marveled at the three men who loved her more than anyone, and every day she got to be with them like this. Yeah, life was hard.

Emmett added another finger, sensing that Bella was close. Sometimes it took her longer to unravel. She needed that extra push. But her lovers knew all about her body, her needs, and they were usually in sync with each other at times like this. Jasper especially knew just what to do to push her over the edge. He extended his arm down to Emmett's head, digging his fingers into his hair and pressing him harder into Bella, telling him rather bluntly what he needed to do. Emmett attacked her pussy more forcefully.

Bella started squirming at that very moment. She kept her eyes trained on Emmett, Jasper, and Edward and they took her over the edge. The sight turned her on more than anything. Jasper still had his hand on Emmett's head as he suckled her breast, and one of Edward's hands was down below her belly button, pressing down lightly just above her core.

"Ah!" Bella's orgasm washed over her in strong waves, effectively wiping out all of her energy and leaving her boneless.

"Oh god…" She whimpered, small spasms rocking her body.

Emmett laid his head on her stomach, his face glistening with her juices. He kissed her bellybutton every few seconds as she came down from her high. Edward and Jasper had traded her breasts in for her cheeks and forehead.

"Wow." Bella mumbled, a huge grin gracing her lips. She was sated, tired, and happy in that moment. Her eyelids fluttered. She wanted to stay awake, but was failing miserably.

"Go to sleep, love." Edward cooed, giving her lips one last kiss. "We'll wake you when it's time for dinner."

Bella was about to protest, but Jasper shushed her. "Just sleep."

"Okay." Bella relaxed, finally giving in and shutting her eyes.

"I love you." Jasper whispered, but she was already asleep.

Emmett got to his knees, unfolding Bella's legs and setting them straight. Edward and Jasper helped him pull the blanket over her and close the blinds so that she wasn't disturbed.

They left the room discreetly and made their way into the kitchen.

"Man, she's exhausted." Emmett commented. He pulled a chair out and plopped down in it. "She hasn't been sleeping well."

Jasper shook his head. "Not for weeks. I'm really worried. I thought something might be going on, but I guess it's just school stressing her out. You know how antsy she gets."

"Yes, but she wasn't like this _last_ semester." Edward pointed out. "I'm surprised she can even focus in her classes. I wish she would let us help her."

"I did offer to do her homework for her, but she shot me down." Emmett said.

"How very ethical of you, Emmett." Jasper started gathering the ingredients he needed for dinner. "After next week, everything should be fine. We'll have a few months off and Bella will be able to stop worrying. We'll _make sure_ she stops worrying."

Emmett and Edward agreed.

Emmett scratched his head, grimacing at something Jasper had said. "What do you mean you 'thought something might be going on'? Like what?"

Jasper and Edward both startled at the question. Jasper shifted uncomfortably where he was standing, unsure of what he had been implying. "I don't know. I thought something at school was bothering her, or _someone_. She gets quiet sometimes when we ask about school, and she never talks about people she meets like she used to. Maybe someone is giving her a hard time and she just doesn't want to tell us."

Emmett looked furious. "You think some punk is giving her trouble? I'll sort the little fucker out."

"Bella would tell us if someone was bothering her." Edward said. "She wouldn't let it go on, not after everything that's happened. Remember that girl in one of Bella's classes last year? The one she said kept trying to cheat off of her? She told us about her. And the teacher who yelled at her for being late. She doesn't keep secrets from us."

"That guy was a bitch." Emmett growled. "Bella said he was a dictator, and anyone who was late got a tongue-lashing in front of the class."

"He got fired, though." Jasper added, recalling the event with great relish. The students were sick of putting up with him and had signed a petition to get him out of there. It was signed by current and former students. Bella signed it, too, and she had no qualms about telling them about the embarrassing incident. She had ended up lashing back at the teacher and getting kicked out of the class. A few months later he was kicked out of the school.

"Well, you're probably right, Jazz." Edward said. "Maybe this semester is more stressful than the last one. I can't see her keeping anything from us."

Jasper paled, abruptly feeling mortified that he had snooped through Bella's notebook. He was ashamed. Edward was right. Bella told them everything usually, so there was no reason to suppose she was hiding anything now.

He was a jackass.

"What's wrong with you?" Emmett noticed his oldest brother's change in demeanor. It annoyed Jasper a lot how sharp Emmett's eyes were.

"Nothing." Jasper tried not to sound defensive. He wasn't about to let on that he had invaded Bella's privacy (more than usual). They wouldn't like that. He got to work on dinner, hoping that his brother would let it go. Emmett wasn't stupid, but he didn't press.

Edward looked between Emmett and Jasper, sensing the tension. Jasper had his back turned to them. They were good about communicating with each other, but there were times when Jasper shut down. Edward and Emmett knew that sometimes it was best to let him go in silence.

Edward jumped out of his seat and took off one of the pans hanging on the wall. Jasper glanced at him sideways, wary. He was definitely in a defensive mood.

"I'll help." Edward said.

Jasper gave a curt not, and continued what he was doing.

* * *

><p>The phone rang at a quarter past six that night. They were almost done prepping dinner. No one bothered to answer it. No matter how many times Jasper put their number on the "Do Not Call" list, they called anyway.<p>

"Fucking telemarketers," Jasper muttered, setting the plates down on the table. He always let the machine get it nowadays because they called so often.

Every day.

Several times.

Emmett wasn't bothered, though. He strutted over to the phone, taking it off of the receiver. "'Ello? Ja? Ja? Who is there? I am not wearing underpants." Emmett said, sporting a bad Polish accent. He loved it when the phone rang. It gave him ample opportunity to give people a hard time.

The person on the other end of the line immediately hung up. Emmett replaced the phone, a look of smug satisfaction on his face. "I get them every time."

"Good. Maybe they'll stop calling. Why do they always call around dinner?" Jasper complained.

Emmett shrugged. "They like getting you at the worst possible moments. We could just take the phone off the hook."

"Mm." Jasper set out the silverware. "Is dinner almost done?" He asked Edward, who stood at the stove.

"Just about."

Jasper looked around the kitchen. Bella wasn't awake yet, it appeared. "Is Bella still sleeping?"

Emmett poked his head out into the hallway. The bedroom door was closed. "Looks like it. I'll go get her."

Jasper frowned, but didn't say anything. Bella had been tired a lot lately. School was taking its toll on her, and he hated it. It was obvious how tired she was today, but she had been like that every day, and it concerned him.

* * *

><p>Emmett opened the door, anticipating finding Bella asleep and, alas, she was. He was tempted to let her sleep (that's what he would normally do) but she hadn't been eating well for the past few weeks, and she'd lost weight. If they didn't make her eat healthy and regularly, then she never would.<p>

He crawled into bed and hugged her from behind, putting his mouth to the pulse point on her neck. Bella shifted, grazing her ass against his groin. Emmett spread more kisses across the back of her neck, tempting her into consciousness.

"Mm…go away."

Emmett slid his hand over her tummy. "Dinner is ready. Time to get up." He sounded much too chirpy for Bella's taste.

"Can't I eat later?"

Emmett was glad she couldn't see him. He had the saddest look on his face, but he made sure it didn't come across in his voice. "Aren't you hungry? When was the last time you ate? Come on, I know you're hungry. If you don't eat now you never will. We can go to bed early tonight, I promise."

Bella was silent.

"Please? For me?" Emmett begged.

Bella agreed. She felt that she was being chastised. She didn't want him to think she was starving herself on purpose. She was just so tired, and sometimes her nerves got the best of her and made it impossible to eat. All day, no all _semester,_ she had been miserable. If only it was over. But no, she had one more week of this.

Emmett smiled. "Good. Now, stay there." He hopped off the bed and whipped the covers from her naked body. He went over to the dresser and got out a pair of sweats, one of his t-shirts, and a lacy pair of panties.

He got a lot of enjoyment out of dressing Bella. She let him do it sometimes because he liked it so much (and she liked having his hands all over her), although she had to put her foot down often.

She observed him, amused. He came back to her and lifted her legs, slipping her panties on carefully and riding them up to her hips. "Hmm, maybe we shouldn't bother with panties." He said, quite serious.

Bella laughed. "Well then, take them off. They're not going to stay on for long, anyway." She teased.

Emmett grinned at her. "Wicked girl." He ripped them off of her, and just as quickly leaned down to give her core one long swipe with his tongue.

"Emmett!" Bella squealed.

And then he was pulling her sweats on and tugging his shirt over her head, foregoing a bra.

"Done." He sat back on his hind legs to assess his work. "You look smokin', Bella. Ready to go?"

"Yup." Her stomach growled. She blushed.

Emmett smirked. "Come on, let's feed it before it starts barking."

"Ew." Bella smacked his butt. "My stomach doesn't bark. It sings."

"It sings poorly." Emmett said.

Bella stuck her tongue out at him.

Dinner was quiet. They discussed what to do that weekend. Most weekends they stayed in or hit up a movie. Sunday nights they usually had dinner at their parents' house. Esme and Carlisle loved having them over. In fact, they demanded they come at least once a week. Esme didn't want to miss out, especially since she and Carlisle would be away that summer. Last year they had flown to France, and this year they were going to Spain.

For two weeks.

Edward was a little envious. He wished they could all go away one summer. A change of scenery would be nice, and he longed to explore. Then again, there was nothing like being in your own big bed on a Saturday morning with the people you loved the most.

"Why don't we stay in tomorrow?" Jasper suggested. "And on Sunday we can go see a movie before we go to mom and dad's."

"Okay."

"Sounds good."

"I hope mom makes macaroni."

They turned to Emmett. He thought about his mom's food all the time.

"Maybe I should call and ask her to make it." He said, thoughtful. "I'm really craving it. She makes the best baked macaroni. I could die happy eating that shit."

Bella sniggered. "I'll tell her that in those exact words, Em."

Emmett squinted at her, attempting, rather badly, to look intimidating. "You can tell her how tasty your pussy is, while you're at it. Tell her it's better than macaroni." He went back to eating his dinner.

Bella's cheeks flushed crimson.

Emmett patted her thigh. "Alright, maybe we won't tell her that."

Bella smiled half-heartedly, her cheeks remaining red.

"Are you done, love?" Edward noted that her plate was half-full and she was pushing the remains around with her fork.

"Yes, I'm full. I'll save the rest for tomorrow." She stood up.

"I'll do that." Edward said, but Bella waved him off.

"I've got it." She got the plastic wrap out and placed her dinner in the fridge, glad that she didn't have to eat anymore.

Bella could feel three sets of eyes burning holes into her back. She looked over her shoulder. They were watching her, obviously put out. Bella repressed a sigh. They worried about her too much, and that was a fact.

"It was really good. Thanks." She said. She knew they weren't concerned about whether or not she liked dinner; they just wanted her to eat more of it.

"You don't have to thank us." Jasper said.

Bella didn't know what to say to that. She felt her throat constrict, and she was at a loss for words. They were still watching her.

_I bet they think I'm anorexic. They _would_ go and think something like that_.

"I'm going to take a shower." She finally found her voice, and she only sounded a fraction of how exhausted she really was.

"Want any company?" Emmett asked, his eyes playful.

_No!_

"No, I'm going to be quick, and then I'm going to bed. I'll sex you up tomorrow." Bella blew him a kiss, puckering her lips and reminding him exactly what she was going to do with those lips when the time came.

Then she dashed off before he could respond, leaving him with a growing, _ahem_, problem.

It was still early when the boys decided to go to bed, but after playing video games and watching TV for an hour, they couldn't take it. They couldn't stay away from Bella any longer. By the time they slid into bed, she was already fast asleep.

**A/N** Hope you liked it! Please review! Please?

P.S. Have a great weekend!


	3. I Do It To Myself

Disclaimer: I don't know why you keep insisting that I don't own anything. I mean, I obviously own a computer. I stole it, but, you know, finder keepers. I also stole a pair of dentures once. What are _you_ gonna do about it, huh?

**A/N** Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted.

Adore

Chapter 2 – I Do It To Myself

If Bella was a complete mess on Friday night, it was easy to say that she was the reverse on Saturday morning. She awoke refreshed and happy at 8:17, the first one up. She was half-lying on top of Emmett, and one of her legs was tangled in Jasper's limbs. Upon assessing herself properly, Bella saw that Jasper actually had her leg in his arms. He was hugging it in his sleep.

_Well _that's_ not weird_. Bella smiled, resting her head on Emmett's chest and watching him and Jasper sleep. She wished every day could be like this. No place to go, no responsibilities, no people. Just the four of them in their little house in the woods. Maybe she should start playing the lottery. She might get lucky, and they'd never have to leave the house again.

Emmett's arm tightened around Bella's waist. He was still asleep, and god, he looked delicious. Bella kissed his bare chest, wanting him so suddenly that she almost couldn't breathe. She always wanted them, but she had been such a bad girlfriend lately. Bella knew that it was her fault, and she knew that they noticed her behavior. Oh, they had a lot of sex. _A lot_ of sex. But…that wasn't enough to sustain a relationship. She'd been neglecting them in other ways, like not talking to them about her feelings and things that were bothering her. They watched her every move, her every expression, listened intently to every word that she uttered; so they were well aware that she wasn't as happy as she should be or as she pretended, and she wasn't being completely honest as to why that was. She felt guilty about it. She hadn't even realized she was clamming up at first. It just happened, and it felt as if all of the progress she had made since she had escaped her father three years earlier was slowly evaporating.

She wasn't going to let it continue, though. She couldn't.

There had to be a bump or two in their relationship at some point, she supposed. It had been perfect for the last two years. They were in love and on the same wavelength. She wasn't going to allow one small barely-there issue to infringe on their lives anymore.

At least that's what she promised herself. Now that school was ending –finally! –she could go back to how she used to be, and what a relief that was. She could forget the past few months and be normal again. That's all she wanted.

Bella raised her head to look at her three lovers. Edward was on his stomach next to Emmett, fast asleep, Jasper continued to hold her leg captive, and Emmett was just begging for attention. His morning wood was poking her belly, and Bella was more than ready to have fun with it.

She sat up, careful not to make too much movement, and pulled her shirt off. She bent back down, trailing her lips over Emmett's broad chest, teasing his nipples with her teeth and tracing his abs with her index finger. He flinched in his sleep, but didn't awaken.

_Better try harder,_ Bella thought.

She poked her tongue out to trace his muscles, slow and deliberate. With her right hand, she grabbed hold of his cock through his boxers and began lightly pumping him…

"Mm…"

…Peeled off his boxers (and wondered why he was wearing them in the first place).

…Gave his length one long swipe.

"Uh…"

…Took him into her mouth and sucked.

"Oh my god!"

Emmett's eyes snapped open. At first he thought he was still dreaming. He had been having the best dream ever. But then he looked down, and there was Bella giving him a wicked smirk while sucking on his cock.

_Guess it wasn't a dream after all._

So. Fucking. Sexy.

He lightly dug his fingers into her hair, urging her on. He loved it when she went down on him, but it had been a long time since she woke him up like…_this_.

Bella took her time with him. She sucked, tugged, and blew until he was writhing and gasping.

It woke Edward and Jasper up, naturally. They were immediately hard at the sight, not to mention thrilled. Obviously, Bella was feeling better.

Jasper gazed at Bella's ass sticking up in the air as she worked Emmett to the edge. He knew Edward was thinking the same thing as he was, but unfortunately for Edward, Jasper was too fast. Jasper was behind Bella in a flash, kneading her cute little butt affectionately. He almost stuck his tongue out at Edward, but thought better of it.

Bella moaned when Jasper touched her, making Emmett shudder. "Fuck, baby, that feels so good."

Bella moaned again and took him deeper into her mouth.

Jasper tugged her pants off, kissing the small of her back as her bare flesh was revealed to him. He stuck two of his fingers in her pussy to make sure she was ready for him, and, sure enough, she was slick with arousal.

He positioned himself at her entrance, and, with her sign of approval, plunged into her.

Bella gasped, aching to be relieved. Jasper knew just where to hit her. Bella pulled away from Emmett for a second.

"God Jasper!" Her voice hitched as she struggled not to lose her bearings. Emmett's dick was inches from her lips and begging to be taken care of.

_Must. Not. Lose. Focus_.

She gave his length another long lick before taking him completely into her mouth. She'd gotten good at this, but oh, when one of them was pounding into her at the same time, it drove her insane with pleasure. She craved more, more, more.

"You like this?" Jasper growled. Bella groaned. She loved it when he talked dirty. "You like it when I fuck you, don't you?" He groped her ass cheeks gently, and then his hand was in the air and he slapped her just hard enough to please her.

Bella hummed.

"Shit!" Emmett gritted his teeth and arched his back.

"That's right," Jasper hissed in Bella's ear, his hot breath cascading over her sensitive skin, "suck his cock. Swallow his cum, you dirty girl." He felt her walls pulse against his throbbing member. She was close. He thrust into her harder. "You like sucking his cock while I fuck you, don't you? You're such a dirty girl, Bella. You're _my _dirty girl. Your pussy belongs to me. To _us_." He smacked her ass again.

With that, Bella let out a cry of pleasure as her orgasm hit her. Emmett came at the same moment, releasing into her mouth and bringing his hands to her head to keep her still.

"Fuck!" Jasper continued pounding into her as she came, her slick walks pulsating around him. In the next moment his powerful release overcame him and he collapsed back on the bed while Bella slumped over Emmett.

Edward sat back and practiced his patience. He was good at that. Besides, he didn't mind watching Bella get fucked by his brothers. If anything, it was a turn on. It wasn't as if he wouldn't have his turn…

"That was a good morning wake-up call." Emmett grinned from ear to ear, sliding his giant hands up and down Bella's slick body as she lay draped across his chest.

"Feeling better, I presume?" Emmett said, referring to her exhausted state not only the night before, but the past few weeks.

"Oh, lots better." Bella panted, giddy. She gave him a lazy smile, kissing one of his nipples.

She glued her eyes to Edward (who still had his pants on, much to her chagrin), slightly disappointed that he hadn't joined in, but also relieved. She wasn't exactly ready to take all three of them at once right then. But she did want him. It had been a couple of days since she'd made love with Edward. Thursday night, to be precise. It was terrible how much she needed them so often. She felt like a harlot, but she loved them beyond measure and craved them like a starving woman. Bella didn't truthfully care if it was excessive or not. She only minded her urges for them when the time was inopportune. If she was sitting in class or at the dentist's, it could prove distracting. That was happening a lot more often lately.

She danced her fingers over Edward's chest playfully, enjoying the afterglow and relishing the feel of his skin. Emmett was petting her hair in a relaxed manner, and Jasper had parked his head on her lower back. They must have created quite a picture.

This was how her perfect day was spent.

Edward lay on his side in order to face her. He didn't say anything, only watched her. It disconcerted Bella sometimes when one of them did that. Right now, the way he was looking at her, she sensed that he was analyzing her, which he more than likely was.

She wondered if he wanted to make love. He hadn't made a move. There were days when he wanted her all to himself and preferred not to share. Maybe this was one of those days, or perhaps there was something else going on. Bella wasn't the only one acting strange lately. She'd noticed Edward zoning out a lot, and she caught him staring at her in a way that made her think he had something on his mind. But whatever it was, he wasn't spilling.

Like her.

She'd have to talk to him about it soon. She was worried about him.

And there went her pleasant afterglow.

"Ready for breakfast?" Jasper brought them back to the present, causing her to break eye contact with Edward.

The subject of food made Bella realize how ravenous she was. She really needed to start eating more. She could almost feel herself withering under her own nervous system.

"Can you make French toast?" Bella gave Jasper her best sad puppy eyes, hoping to sway him (which was ridiculous since he was beyond whipped).

Jasper picked her up off of Emmett and cradled her. "French toast for the lady of the house. As you wish, Madame." He nuzzled her neck briefly before sitting her on the edge of the bed. Like a doll, he dressed her with care, caressing her flesh intimately.

Once she had a loose shirt and boxers on, Jasper pulled on his own pants, and the four of them proceeded to the kitchen. Jasper went about preparing breakfast with Edward's help while Emmett sat at the table and played with Bella's hair.

"Your hair smells like apple blossoms." He said, sniffing her dark strands.

"And yours smells like…" Bella made a show of smelling his curly hair, "…toothpaste."

Emmett was appalled. "_Toothpaste_? Try manly awesomeness. Try masculine sweat and sex. Or energy bars. Not toothpaste."

"There's nothing wrong with minty fresh hair." Bella teased.

"Well, when you put it that way…"

Jasper shook his head. "So Bella…" Bella turned her attention from Emmett to him. "Looking forward to your last week of school?"

He asked both out of genuine interest and as a tool to assess Bella's reaction. He'd asked her before, but he hoped she didn't mind or see right through him.

Beside him, Edward paused in what he was doing, his green eyes darting to his older brother, knowing precisely what he was doing. They'd talked about Bella's behavior recently, sharing their mutual concerns and speculating about what the problem might be.

But Bella didn't show any signs of peculiarity. She was a little perturbed that he brought up school, though. "Yes. It'll be a relief not to have to write any papers and do oral reports."

"Gonna miss anyone?"

Bella frowned at his turned back. _Weird question_. She didn't like it one bit.

"Nope."

"You know you're allowed to make friends, Bella." Jasper said, facing her. "I know we hog you every chance we get, but if you ever meet someone you want to be friends with, you don't have to worry that we'll be upset or anything. Just…you know, in case you think we would be against it."

Emmett shot Jasper a disbelieving look. No, they _didn't _want Bella to have friends. At least not close, close friends. They didn't want to share her with anyone else, even if it was platonic. And yes, that was terribly selfish of them, they acknowledged, but they had to be honest with themselves.

They did think it was a little odd that Bella hadn't made any friends in the two years she'd been in school. Occasionally she brought up someone she didn't like, or someone she'd had lunch with on campus, but it never went further than that. Then again, Bella was a loner, and after everything she'd been through she had a tendency to shy away from strangers. It was natural.

But they did worry that it was unhealthy. As much as they didn't want her to be overly involved with anyone else, they did want her to be happy, and it wouldn't actually be a bad thing for her to have someone else to talk to aside from them and Esme.

They knew this, but that didn't stop them from wanting her all to themselves.

Jasper let the subject drop, realizing that if he asked too many questions it would simply raise Bella's suspicions.

He knew she was holding something back. He just knew it, and he was going to do everything he could to find out what it was.

They spent the rest of Saturday lounging around the house and finishing up their respective schoolwork. On Sunday they went to dinner at their parents', as they usually did, and on Monday it was back to school for the four of them.

* * *

><p>Bella had spent the whole weekend in an upbeat mood, but on Monday morning she immediately reverted back to her nervous, hand-fidgeting self. She told herself that there was no logical reason to be nervous. But she told herself that everyday, and it did no good. This had been going on since almost the start of the spring semester. She knew why, but it still seemed illogical. As usual, she was being an idiot. Bella was constantly berating herself nowadays.<p>

_There's nothing going on. It's all in your head. Everything is in your head. Stop trying to find trouble where there isn't any._

That was her chant. Bella was a strong girl, and she could take on situations without being a wimp. She didn't scare too easily, but it wasn't that she was scared for her life or for Edward, Emmett, and Jasper; no one was in peril.

But then she saw _him_ walking down the hallway, and she was immediately on the defense and she couldn't relax for the rest of the day.

It was funny, really. When Bella had first started school, the boys had been terrified of the guys she was bound to meet at college. They were paranoid.

"Did anyone hit on you?"

"I bet some douche asked you out. Am I right?"

"Be careful around guys at school. They see a beautiful girl and they go wild."

Despite their absolute certainty that Bella was the most wanted girl in the school, nay, the universe, she had never been asked out or hit on. She was thankful for that. There had never been a problem with the opposite sex…

…Until _he _came along.

He wasn't a _real_ threat, and he had never asked her out, never did anything untoward.

But he watched her.

And he was always _there_. When she entered the school in the morning, there he was. When she went to lunch, he was nearby, and when she left for the day, _he_ was leaving too. It was probably all a coincidence, but it more than bothered Bella. At first, she hadn't paid much attention to these details, but after awhile, it couldn't be ignored. Her stomach was in knots just thinking about him. She felt like prey again.

He was such a nice man, though.

_And we all know how deceptive appearances can be_.

She didn't want to tell the boys about it. He hadn't actually done anything, and she wasn't even getting dangerous vibes off of him. She hoped that this wasn't the case of her "danger radar" being off; that he was actually a nice guy. Maybe he had a crush on her, and maybe she was overreacting. Hell, she might be seeing something that wasn't there at all.

_Of course you're overreacting. Why would he want an anti-social little girl who can't stand to look at him? There are tons of prettier, nicer girls around._

Bella was determined to put the matter out of her mind for the rest of the week. She'd ignore him like she was in the habit of doing, and after the week was over she might never see him again.

To Bella, it always seemed that trouble in some form or another was just around the corner for her. But she was lucky, for the most part. Aside from a fucked-up teacher her first year and one or two annoying classmates, she hadn't had much trouble. There was the worry that people would recognize her from the papers after her father's trial, but if anyone knew she was "the girl who got raped by her daddy dearest", they never said, and she was thankful for that.

Bella walked into the school on Monday morning, ready for the day and the week to be over, ready to go home, ready to be with the men she loved. And yes, she did see _him_. By accident, their eyes met for the briefest of seconds. She averted her gaze to the floor and kept walking.

And that was how the rest of the week went.

* * *

><p>"Can we talk?" Jasper knocked on Edward's classroom door during their lunch break. He'd been restless all morning waiting for a chance to talk to him alone.<p>

"You don't have to ask," Edward said, sensing Jasper's urgency. "Is there something wrong?"

Jasper was grave as he took a seat and faced Edward. It wasn't that unusual. They'd often had serious discussions during school. Plus, Jasper generally looked grave the majority of the time.

"Bella." Jasper replied. Edward was eager to have that conversation again as well.

"Did you see the way she looked before she left this morning?" Jasper asked, a bit sick at how Bella's happy mood had taken a 180 in the space of a few hours.

"She was dreading it." Edward admitted.

"Yes, and I really want to know what the hell is going on. I know she's hiding something."

Edward was silent, considering what his brother said.

Jasper grew impatient waiting for a response. "Look, I know you don't think she'd keep anything from us, but we have to consider that Bella might still have emotional issues to work out. And you know her. If she thinks she's doing us a favor by not saying anything, then she won't."

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're right. I don't want to make hasty assumptions, but there definitely is something wrong, and if she won't talk to us…"

Jasper wasn't having that. "We'll get her to talk."

"I'm not going to force her." Edward said. "We'll schedule an appointment with Dr. Clearwater soon. She hasn't been there in awhile."

Jasper hated the idea of Bella going to a therapist one day a week. Not because he didn't want her to get help, but because (a) he wanted to be the one to help her, and (b) it never worked out. Bella had started going to a therapist soon after her father's trial ended. But it wasn't long until Bella decided that she didn't like her doctor. So then she moved on to Dr. Wills, a woman whom she actually liked.

And then Dr. Wills died. She had a heart attack (she was 71) and Bella stopped going altogether for a few months. She started going again a few months ago, in January. This time is was a Dr. Leah Clearwater, and Bella liked her. Dr. Clearwater had been on maternity leave for the past two months, however, and Bella didn't want to begin again with someone else, so she forewent her sessions.

Now was the perfect time to go back, Edward reasoned. Bella needed to talk to someone, and since she wasn't opening up to them, it had to be the doctor. He hated that she didn't feel comfortable discussing everything with them, but he wasn't going to pretend to understand everything that was going through her head. She had her reasons, and he only wanted to help her.

Jasper relented. "Okay. You're probably right, as usual. It's funny, though…this is the first time she's been unhappy in almost three years. Before she went to therapy, she was alright, and now, inexplicably, she's not. You don't think…" Jasper halted the idea that had suddenly formed in his head.

"Don't think what?" Edward, for all of the sense that he spoke, was really at the same level of paranoia as Jasper. The difference was that he attempted to quell it, or at least hide it better than Jasper.

"Gah! You started without me?" Emmett barged in then, his lunch bag swinging in his fist.

"We were just discussing Bella." Edward said. He opened a desk drawer and retrieved a sandwich that he'd thrown in that morning. He'd forgotten that he was supposed to be eating. He was thinking about other things.

"What about her?" Emmett pulled up a chair next to Jasper.

Jasper cleared his throat, more reluctant than ever to voice his thoughts.

"I was just wondering if it's possible that…that Bella met someone else."

He was fairly certain that something imploded in the room. It went deathly quiet. Edward and Emmett were gaping at him, infuriated at the suggestion.

"What do you mean "_someone else_"?" Emmett stood up, bereft and angered at the implausible notion. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." He threw his lunch on the floor and crossed his arms, akin to a kid having a tantrum.

"Take it back." He demanded.

Jasper knew he should have kept his mouth shut. He couldn't blame Emmett for overreacting.

"I don't think she is." Jasper amended. "The possibility just popped into my head. I've always worried that someone might take her away. I couldn't help but wonder…" He bowed his head, a sick sensation settling in his gut. He considered it more than once: What if Bella got tired of being with three men? What if she decided that being with one man, a normal man who wasn't halfway to crazy town, was more appealing in the long run? Easier? Less pressure? Maybe that's why she was so unhappy, because she was planning to leave them and didn't know how to tell them.

But she was perfectly aware that they'd never let her leave them. It wasn't going to happen. So was it that she was planning to run away when the right time presented itself?

Jasper squeezed his eyelids shut and clenched his fists. _Stop thinking like that. She loves you. She'll never try to leave. She wouldn't make love with you if she didn't_.

"She's not in love with someone else." Emmett said, sincerely hurt by the idea. "That's impossible. Got it?"

Jasper could do nothing but agree. He looked over at Edward, whose eyes were glistening. He immediately felt worse for saying anything. There was probably some innocent explanation for Bella's behavior, and he was an ass once again for letting his paranoia and pure desperation get the best of him.

Edward grasped his head in his hands. "We'll make sure she sees Dr. Clearwater soon. I'll see if she can get an appointment this week. And maybe we should talk to Bella again. No, I'll talk to her. If all of us do it she'll get defensive and think we're interrogating her. We just want her to be happy. She needs to know that."

Emmett sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Sounds like a plan." He turned to Jasper. "I could punch your ugly face for getting me all worried like that. Am I the only one who knows that Bella would never leave us for someone else? I mean come on! The only time she's happy and relaxed is when she's with us. She loves us."

That was true, they supposed. She loved them and they made her happy. That wouldn't prevent them from agonizing over her, of course.

Edward was set in his plans. He was going to talk to Bella after school about therapy and try to weasel the truth out of her as gently as he could.

He just hoped the truth wasn't as bad as he feared.


	4. Ease

Disclaimer: Jasper, Edward, and Emmett; I don't own you, but I can still do naughty things to you when the feeling strikes. And don't you ever forget that!

**A/N** I want to tell you something because I think some of you might be worried about what will happen to Bella in this story. So I'm going to tell you straight up: NO ONE IS GETTING RAPED. Not one single person, so I thought I'd tell you that in case you were worried.

Adore

Chapter 3 –Ease

Edward was antsy for the rest of the day, anticipating his talk with Bella and how she'd react. And what she might reveal. Bella was strong, but for the past few weeks she was fragile, or maybe that was just how she appeared. Whatever it was that was bothering her, they were going to set it to right.

When they arrived home from work, Bella was already there. Her car was parked snuggly in the drive, a welcome and unexpected sight. It was a race to the door to see who could make it to her first. Emmett won.

Bella was on the couch, a broad smile on her lips as she flipped through one of their photo albums. They'd taken a lot of pictures in the past three years, wanting to document everything. She was looking at a picture of a topless Emmett when the man himself assailed her.

"Lover!" He tackled her. "You're home early!"

Bella laughed. "We had our final exam, so we got to leave right after. I got home at three."

Jasper plopped down next to her. "You mean you've been here for almost an hour? Ugh, if I had known that I would have ditched school and rushed over here."

Bella raised her eyebrows. "Mm, I like that. But I don't think running out of the school with an erection would leave a good impression on the staff and students."

"That _would_ be bad for my reputation, yes." Jasper grinned, his eyes moving from Bella's beautiful face to the album she dropped on the floor. "Reminiscing, I see." He picked it up. "We should take new ones soon."

Edward stood in the entryway, nervous. It didn't take long for Bella to notice him there.

"Hey," she smiled at him. He smiled back, tentative. Bella immediately sensed it. "Are you alright?"

Edward didn't know what to say. He was anxious and flustered. "Yes, it's just…we need to talk."

He knew better than to use that particular phrase, 'we need to talk'. That was what people said when they were going to break up with someone or when they were going to say, "I accidentally ran over your poodle. Oh, and I slept with your sister. It's feels so good to get that off my chest!"

Edward wasn't going to say any of that, but Bella thought it couldn't be pleasant, whatever it was. He wouldn't break up with her, would he?

"Um, okay. We can talk." Bella looked at Jasper and Emmett. Their faces held guilt and apprehension.

_Shit. This is going to be bad_.

Bella eased off of the couch and toward Edward. "You want to talk now?"

"Yes, alone."

_Alone?_

Bella didn't have time to ask why. Edward grabbed hold of her hand and steered her into their bedroom, shutting and locking the door. He was sweating, Bella noted. Dread descended upon her as she took in his wild eyes.

He sat her on the bed and began pacing. That wasn't like Edward at all.

"Edward, love, calm down." Bella placed one of her small hands on his arm. He relaxed instantly, a small grin pulling up the corners of his lips.

"Sorry," he said, sheepish, "I've been worrying about this all day."

"Is it that bad?" Bella almost felt like crying. She had the irrational fear that he was going to break up with her. It wasn't true, but she couldn't prevent the vile thought from entering her mind.

Edward was flooded with guilt, then. "God, Bella, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you worry. It's nothing bad, I swear. I just want to talk."

Bella nodded, not entirely convinced. She sat back down on the bed and motioned for him to join her. "Come here. I've actually wanted to talk with you, too. But you can go first."

Edward was slightly startled at that, but decided to say what he was going to say and get it over with. "Right…Bella, I'm going to be honest with you." He sat next to her and took her hands in his. "We're worried about you."

Bella's eyebrows shot up. For some reason, she wasn't expecting him to go there. She should have, she thought. What else would he want to talk about?

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but something is going on, isn't it?" Edward prodded. "Please, I need to know." He held her face, willing her to reveal all of her secrets. Bella almost broke down and told him, too, but she held tight.

"There's nothing you need to know. I'm just stressed out with schoolwork as usual. I've had some tough classes."

"It's _not_ usual for you, Bella. You were fine at the beginning of the year. You were happy and you ate right. Now it's like there's a dark cloud over your head from the minute you get up in the morning to the minute you get back home. You're not okay, and you have to admit it."

Bella was silent, tears forming in her brown eyes. Edward wiped them away, but to no avail. He didn't ever want to make her cry.

"I think you need to go back to therapy." Edward said, his voice hushed. "If you don't want to talk to me about it, then will you please talk to her? We just want you to feel better."

Bella couldn't argue with that. "O-okay." She met Edward's gaze. "You don't believe me when I say there's nothing going on, do you?" Edward shook his head, sorrow painting his face. Bella tried to stop herself from crying, but she was on a roll. Edward tugged her forward and hugged her fiercely, rubbing her back and head and kissing away the tears.

He laid down with her on the duvet, letting her cry on his shoulder until she ran out. Every time she cried, it was a stab to the heart for Edward. It literally pained him.

After what seemed like hours, but was in reality ten minutes, Bella was recovered. Her face was a red blotchy mess and her eyes and nose were puffy. She hadn't cried that hard in a long time. It was both a relief and an embarrassment. She felt like such a fool.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Edward continued running his hands through her hair. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

That was far from the truth, and Bella knew it. Edward was too nice.

"Edward…"

"Hmm?"

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you…"

Edward brushed the hair from her neck, willing himself not to tense. "What is it?"

"You've been acting strange lately." She let that hang in the air. It wasn't fair of her to ask, she realized. She was keeping something from him, so why should he tell her his secret?

Edward sighed, sitting upright with Bella still in his lap. "You're right. I have been a little weird lately, I suppose."

"Why?" Bella asked, timid. She didn't want to pry too much.

Edward kissed her softly on the lips. "There _is_ something going on. Nothing bad," he assured her, "but I'm not ready to tell anyone yet. Soon, though, I promise."

"Okay." She'd let it go for now if that's what he wanted. Another thought that had been bothering Bella came to mind. "Edward, why don't you want to make love with me?"

They'd had all weekend to do it, but he didn't give any indication that he wanted to make love. Bella was too afraid of rejection to try anything. Normally, she would have taken the initiative and pounced on him, but she had begun to feel insecure lately. Edward's obvious lack of interest in her only egged her on. That had never happened before. The only time they refrained from being intimate was when one of them was sick. Even when Bella was on her period they did it. It was uncontrollable, how much they craved one another.

Edward was taken aback by the question (of course he wanted to make love!), but he wasn't stupid. "Bella, that could never happen. A day hasn't gone by that I haven't wanted to make love to you."

"But –"

"No, I know why you think that." Edward mentally kicked himself for being such an idiot. He had believed he was _helping_ her by not having sex. "I wanted to, but you've been so tired and…" he wanted to say 'fragile', but she wouldn't appreciate the term, "you haven't been feeling well, so I thought maybe you needed a break. Jasper and Emmett probably wear you out enough as it is."

He couldn't believe he'd made such an error in judgment. He'd wanted to be back inside her since the last time they'd made love, but something was telling him that she would be better off having an Edward-break for a few days. If only he'd been aware of how wrong he was.

Relief swept over Bella. He still wanted her!

"Thank god, I thought you were off me." Bella chuckled lightly.

"You're silly. I could never be _off _you. I have been and always will be _on_ you." Edward caressed her hip, feeling slightly better than he had a few minutes earlier. Whatever was wrong with Bella wasn't yet resolved, but he felt they'd made a step in the right direction. At least they were talking.

"Edward, unless I tell you that I don't want to have sex, then you should always assume that I'm wet for you." Bella stared him directly in the eyes, daring him to make a move. She put the past fifteen minutes out of her mind, blotting out her stupid problems for the time being. Right now, the only thing her brain could focus on was Edward.

A jolt of arousal hit Edward, and his trousers suddenly became a lot tighter. "Are you saying you're wet for me right now?"

Bella smirked.

Edward's green eyes darkened. "Say it."

"Say what?"

"That you're wet for me."

Bella licked her lips. "I'm soaking wet for you."

"Say you want me to fuck you." He brought his hand to her core, rubbing her through the fabric of her jeans.

"I want you to fuck me. So badly." Bella moaned, keeping her eyes fixed on Edward's despite how hard it was to concentrate.

"What else? Tell me what else you want." Edward felt the strong grasp he had on his control snap. The past few days had turned him into a time bomb, and he was just about ready to explode inside Bella.

"I want your huge, hard cock inside me. I want you to pound into me so hard that I won't be able to walk right for days. I want your cum dripping down my thighs, and you know what, Edward? I want you to make me forget my own name. That's what I want."

Edward gripped her small body so hard that he was going to leave bruises, but he didn't care right then. In the next instant he slammed Bella onto the bed and ripped off her shirt and jeans. Her panties were just a piece of torn cloth after he was done with them, and her bra was an evil entity that covered Bella's beautiful perky breasts. So he tore that up, too.

He attacked her breasts hungrily, sucking her nipples and massaging the swells of her breasts like they were the most sacred things in the universe. He was out of control, his only focus on Bella's perfect body, on touching her, pleasing her. She knew precisely how to drive him crazy. She could be sweet and even timid at times, but in bed she was a vixen, a seductress, a firecracker. She was experienced in the art of dirty-talking, and knowing how easily it turned him on made her exercise her skills all the more often.

Bella pushed at his shoulders. He stopped what he was doing, his eyes ablaze as he looked at her.

"I want you in me _now_." She whimpered, rubbing her thighs together. She would die if she had to wait any longer.

Edward realized that he had all of his clothes on.

_Blasphemous!_

He made quick work of his garments, seriously considering foregoing boxers from now on. It was just another unnecessary barrier between him and Bella.

And that was wrong.

"Edward…" Bella spread her legs wide in invitation, her toes curling in anticipation. Edward didn't need any more incentive. He threw himself onto the bed and, upon pinning her down and clasping her hands above her head, thrust into her. He was greeted by her tight, soft walls and moist heat. She hadn't been kidding when she said she was wet for him. Sometimes, when they were joined like this, he couldn't comprehend how he managed to arouse a creature such as Bella. But she was made for him and his brothers.

Edward did exactly what Bella wanted him to and pounded into her relentlessly. She cried out his name, struggling aimlessly to free her hands from his grip. She wanted him closer, and without having to say a word, he complied. With his free hand, he hitched Bella's leg over his shoulder, plunging deeper into her tightness. He grimaced at the overpowering pleasure that enveloped his body. He was reaching all of her hidden depths, angling himself so that he hit every magical spot, yet he wanted more. He wanted to touch every inch of her, wanted to be ingrained in her, wanted to get lost inside her. He really was going off the deep end.

"God Bella, look what you're doing to me." He groaned through clenched teeth, trying to hold off on his release. Bella was panting hard beneath him, out of breath and lost in frenzy. Her small cries and mewls reached his ears, mixing with the sounds of their heavy breathing and slapping skin. Sweat ran down his back and buttocks. He didn't think he was going to be able to hold off much longer.

"Bella, cum with me."

Bella pushed her hips up harder to meet his thrusts, the familiar tingles making their way down her belly and into her core. She gasped, throwing her head back, her chest heaving wildly as she found her release. Edward still held her hands captive near the headboard, pressing her body deep into the mattress as he buried himself to the hilt. With a guttural cry, he came.

"Bella!" He was all things desperate and needy in that moment; exposed. He was naked in every sense of the word, needing Bella so much that he didn't care to hide it.

Exhausted, Edward slumped over Bella, their bodies drenched in sweat. He let go of her hands and caressed her leg, letting it drop off his shoulder. He kissed her forehead, nose, cheeks, eyelids, and lips. It took minutes for them both to catch their breaths.

Edward rolled over onto his back, bringing Bella into his chest and holding her. "That was definitely worth the wait." He pressed his lips to her hair. "I'm sorry I made you think I didn't want you. That's impossible. I was just being an idiot. You have no idea how much I had to masturbate in the shower."

Bella perked up. "Really? I should have joined you. I could have lent you a hand."

Edward felt his cock stirring again. "Don't get me started, love."

Bella laughed. "Okay, okay. I could use a rest, too. Your dick wears me out. I'll need to sleep it off until Friday just to recover."

"Hmm, I'm that good, huh?" He nudged one of his legs between her thighs, teasing her.

"Oh yeah." Bella waggled her eyebrows, a habit she'd picked up from Emmett.

Edward lay Bella on her back and hovered over her. "I'll give you a break, then. Don't want to overtax you." He took her hands and began lightly kissing them.

His eyes widened in horror.

"Oh my god!"

Bella jumped. "What is it?"

Edward sat up, remorse plaguing him. "Your wrists. Look what I did!" Indeed, Bella's wrists were an angry red. Bruises were already beginning to form.

"It's not a big deal, Edward." Bella tried to make him feel better. But he wasn't going for it.

"Of course it's a big deal." Edward said. "I hurt you. I can't believe I did that. I just restrained you and-and squeezed you. It's almost like I was raping you!"

Now that was ridiculous. "Edward, I loved it. I would have told you to let go if I didn't. We've done it rough before and there was never a problem."

Edward closed his eyes. Maybe she did like it, but the point was…he had hurt her. There were bruises to prove it. He should have been more careful. Considering all of the tantric sex they'd had not only just the two of them, but the _four_ of them, it was surprising that Bella had never been injured in any way. Sure, she was sore a lot, but that was basically it. Even when they played rough…she didn't end up with bruised wrists. He really had been out of control.

"I was too rough with you." He dropped his head to her belly, ashamed.

Bella threaded her fingers through his messy hair. "No you weren't. You underestimate my level of kinkiness. I have no idea why since I've more than proven what a pervert I am." She hoped to lighten the mood, and it was working to a small degree. Edward relaxed against her, taking comfort in her soft skin and her steady breathing.

"That's true," he agreed, "you're not Miss. Vanilla, are you."

Bella settled the palms of her hands on Edward's smooth back, tracing his spine. "Remember that time I handcuffed Jasper to the bed?"

Edward snorted. "Yes. As I seem to recall, his eyes bugged out and he couldn't say a word."

"Well it _was_ a surprise. He loved it, though. I think he secretly likes being dominated. Don't tell him I said that."

Edward smiled. "I won't." He willed his semi-erection to go away, but the memories of Bella riding Jasper with wild abandon excited him.

Bella sighed, feeling oddly contented despite the issues she had yet to conquer. "Edward…" Her hands stilled on his back.

He peered up at her. "Hmm?"

"I love you."

Edward's heart gave its usual thud every time she said that. It never failed to turn him into an emotional wreck. 'I love you' sounded so simple, so common because people said it all the time without meaning it, but when Bella said it, he knew she meant it, _felt_ it, just like he did. His brothers had the same reactions. A day didn't go by when they weren't uttering those three little words to each other.

"Bella, I love you so much." Edward crawled up her body and embraced her.

* * *

><p>"Do you think it's going well?" Emmett asked. He and Jasper has been waiting patiently on the couch for Edward and Bella to come out of the bedroom. They too were worried about what Bella's reaction would be and what she might say, if anything.<p>

"I don't know, but I'm about ready to find out." Jasper said.

They'd been in there twenty minutes, and Jasper and Emmett were getting impatient.

"I don't think Edward will appreciate us barging in when he's having a heart-to-heart."

"No, but I want to know what's going on. Just because we can't be in there, doesn't mean we can't be privy to what's happening."

Emmett snorted. "Privy? Aren't _we _smart."

Jasper ignored him, leaping up from the couch. Emmett followed him, curious as to what his plan was. Jasper tended to be impulsive when it came to Bella, so his expectations were not high.

Jasper led the way outside, sneaking over to the bedroom window and ducking underneath. The curtains were open, thankfully, and the window was cracked open to let in fresh air. He had expected to hear fragments of a heartfelt conversation; what he heard instead was certainly not that.

_I should have guessed_. Jasper became slightly uncomfortable. The front of his pants strained. Judging by Emmett's reaction, he was in the same boat.

Yup, they were going at it. Hard. It seemed almost rude to eavesdrop on Edward and Bella's private time, but that didn't prevent Jasper and Emmett from keeping their feet glued to the ground by the window.

"I guess they're done talking." Emmett muttered. "Think Eddie would mind if we joined?"

Jasper was tempted, but Edward needed his alone time with Bella, and Jasper wasn't going to ruin it for him.

Even though he wanted to.

"Best not to." His hand wandered down to his bulge of its own accord. He touched himself through his jeans, savoring Bella's cries. He stood with his back flat against the house, out of sight but still able to hear. Jasper unzipped his jeans, dipping his hand inside and cupping himself. The sounds Bella made set the tempo that he pumped himself to. Emmett was doing the exact same thing a couple feet away. There was no shame or embarrassment between either. Hell, they'd been having foursomes for the better part of three years. They were way past the point of being embarrassed.

"_God Bella, look what you're doing to me."_

They got louder, more desperate, and when Bella and Edward came, so did Emmett and Jasper. They were quick to right themselves and dash back into the house so as not to be caught peeping. Edward and Bella were more likely to notice them there now that they weren't in the throes of passion. Bella likely wouldn't mind, but Edward would.

Edward and Bella didn't emerge from the bedroom for another ten minutes, during which time Jasper started preparing dinner (_after_ washing the jizz off his hands). Emmett was in the recliner waiting for Bella.

Both came out looking thoroughly fucked. Bella's eyes were a little puffy. She had obviously been crying. Emmett was a little steamed that Edward had made her cry, but he supposed it couldn't be helped. He watched her, worried.

Did she tell Edward what was going on with her?

Edward seemed to know what he was thinking, for when he entered the room and caught Emmett's eye, he shook his head as if to say 'no', and walked into the kitchen. Emmett frowned, disappointed. He got happy again as soon as Bella was in his sight and coming towards him.

"Hey baby." Emmett opened his arms to her. She beamed, sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. She was only wearing one of Edward's shirts and a pair of panties, and her hair was perfectly messy.

_Fucking hot!_

"You look happy." Emmett commented. He wasn't just talking about now. When they'd walked through the door after work she'd been in a good mood, which was not how she usually was. It typically took longer to get her happy-ish again. Today she was…normal. Like she was before the semester began. He wondered what had changed.

Bella never ceased to be a mystery, Emmett thought.

"I _am_ happy." Bella pressed her lips to his. She blushed all of a sudden, prompting Emmett's curiosity.

"Bella?"

She looked down at her lap.

"I'm sorry I've been so difficult lately." She met his eyes. "I know I haven't been easy, and I know it's my fault. But I promise everything is okay. It really is. I just have some issues that I'm having trouble shaking. I'm going back to therapy as soon as I can get an appointment."

Emmett sat there stunned. He hadn't expected her to say any of that. "Bella, you haven't been difficult." He cupped her cheek with his hand. "We've been worried about because you've been…less happy. And we hate that. All we want is for you to be happy and content. I guess you don't want to tell me what these "issues" are?"

_Please tell me!_

"That wouldn't be a good idea right now." Bella said.

"You don't trust me?" Emmett didn't bother hiding his hurt.

"No! That's not it at all!" Bella insisted.

"Then what is it?"

"Oh…this is going to sound stupid." Bella groaned.

"Nah, everything you say sounds interesting, but never stupid. Tell Papa Emmett what you mean." He poked her bellybutton.

Bella laughed. "Right, well…the thing is that my so-called "issues" aren't even real issues, they're just figments of my imagination or something. I make them a big deal and blow them out of proportion. The silly thing is they _are_ nothing, I'm sure of it. It's nothing compared to my father or Victor. Now _they_ were real problems…" She trailed off, blushing harder. "Does any of that make sense?"

Emmett nodded. He didn't want to negate anything she had said, but he knew his Bella. Nothing was a figment of her imagination. That was probably her way of explaining away something that she didn't want to admit was true. He could see why. After the ordeal they all went through three years ago, no one was exactly eager to rock the boat.

The bottom line was this: if Bella thought that something was wrong, then there was. Hearing her doubt herself and deny her own instincts was worrisome. She thought she was causing trouble, but that was ridiculous. Trouble was attracted to Bella, not the other way around.

"It's okay, Bella, we'll get through it together. And you're already smiling again, so that's progress." Emmett made sure to sound as upbeat as he possibly could, and it worked.

Bella kissed his lips again. "You're right about that. I feel good. And I promise that I won't let myself go back to that miserable twit I've been." She hugged him. Emmett hid his face in her hair. He concealed his emotions, not wanting to let on just how much more worried he was than he had been a few minutes earlier.

Bella was back to criticizing herself and making herself out to be a bad person when she was the exact opposite of that. She used to do that sometimes when she was feeling her most vulnerable, but she'd gotten past it. Or so he thought.

That was a clear sign to Emmett that something was most definitely wrong.

The rest of the week flew by. Bella finished what was left of her classes, and she was happier the whole week, much to their glee and astonishment. It was as if nothing had ever been wrong.

Edward scheduled her in for an appointment with the therapist the following week.

And with that they officially started their summer.

**A/N** Hope you liked it! Please review and have a great weekend!


	5. The Four of Us

Disclaimer: As a famous author once said, "Yes, the world is mine. Everything you see belongs to me, and if you don't like it, who cares?" Okay maybe that was just me. Let's pretend I own everything, yes?

Adore

Chapter 4 – The Four of Us

There was something wrong with Jasper, Bella decided. Something seriously, seriously wrong. Perhaps _he_ was the one who needed therapy. He was clinging to her like static underwear, the way he used to.

It was Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day that wasn't too hot or too cool. Bella had woken up to an amazing feeling, which wasn't surprising since Jasper had his head between her legs. Afterwards he'd made them all breakfast in bed. He'd even tried to spoon-feed her. Bella swatted him away, naturally. He was coddling her and keeping her as close as possible.

Alright, so Bella wasn't exactly complaining. She didn't necessarily mind when he got like that, but he went overboard at times and smothered her with his constant neediness. It was obvious why: today she was going back to therapy.

Bella was nervous, although not nearly as nervous as she had been the first time she went to therapy. She always worried that she'd turn into an overmedicated head case who couldn't breathe without talking to a psychiatrist. She was terrified of becoming dependent, neurotic. Bella didn't want to turn into the sort of person who couldn't handle their own emotions. Daddy and Cullen issues aside, Bella was used to taking care of herself. Therapists were just there to unload on, not to depend on. Unfortunately, right now, she felt that Dr. Clearwater was the only one she could talk to, and Bella didn't like that at all. Neither did Jasper. Or anyone else.

"Your appointment is at 4:30, right?" Jasper asked as they sat down for lunch.

"Yup. Fifty minutes. I'll be back well before six." It was only ten minutes away; a fast drive to and from. Jasper still didn't look happy.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?"

Bella set her plate on the table. "Definitely. You're not getting within a mile of there, got it?" She pointed her fork at him.

Jasper took offense. "Hey, there's no reason to be hostile. All I would do is wait out in the lobby like –"

"Like last time?" Bella finished for him.

Jasper had the sense to look embarrassed, at least. The last time Jasper had gone with her to an appointment had been the first and last time for him. It was her first session, and Bella wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

Not only had Jasper come with her, but so had Edward and Emmett.

Big mistake.

* * *

><p>"We'll be right out here if you need us." Edward had said.<p>

"Are you sure you don't want us in there?" Emmett wasn't done trying to persuade her to let them in on her session.

"Yes, I'm sure." Bella blushed. The therapist was standing right next to her, beckoning her into the room.

_No need to bring up the issue of the three boyfriends._ The therapist raised his eyebrows at having three men waiting for the same woman. Bella didn't want him to ask what that was all about, but, no doubt, he was going to.

"If you change your mind, just holler." Jasper told her, deadly serious.

Bella cursed him under her breath. This was so embarrassing!

Twenty minutes into the session, both Bella and her psychiatrist were startled when the door creaked open and in popped Jasper.

"Everything alright?"

"Jasper!" Bella was on the verge of bolting. First experience with therapy: fail.

"Young man, we are in the midst of a session." The man chastised him, bewildered.

"Yes, I know, but I want to make sure you're not making my girlfriend uncomfortable." Jasper glared at him.

"Jasper, please get out." Bella begged.

"Are you okay?"

"Jasper,OUT!"

He huffed, resigned to his fate, and left.

But then Emmett gave it a go. He was more discreet. He stood outside the door with his ear pressed against the keyhole. The receptionist did not take kindly to that. She confronted Emmett and started yelling at him, telling him how rude and "creepy" he was being. Needless to say, Bella and her doctor heard the commotion, and upon opening the door they found Emmett getting a verbal smack-down.

And that was her first therapy session. She switched therapists soon after.

* * *

><p>Edward and Emmett joined them in the kitchen, gathering their lunches and sitting at the table.<p>

"I wouldn't try to interfere this time," Jasper promised, earnest, "and I was just worried about you the last time, I told you that. I didn't mean to embarrass you. Please?"

"No."

"What are we talking about?" Emmett asked, digging into his lunch.

"We're talking about how Jasper _won't_ be coming with me to my appointment." Bella said, looking directly at Jasper. Jasper glowered, but with a hint of playfulness. Bella wondered if he had something up his sleeve. He better not!

"Oh yeah," Emmett shoved a forkful of food into his mouth. "Can I come?"

Bella groaned. "_No_."

Edward laughed. "Am I banned, too?"

"Yes."

He gaped at her. "What, why? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Don't be so modest. You know you're almost as bad as they are. Besides, knowing you're out there will put me on edge." Bella said, grinning at Edward's disappointed face. He probably thought that good behavior would win her over in this case.

"Hmm..." He crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "That's not fair."

"It's not about 'fair'." Bella argued. "It's about me getting privacy and you not invading it."

"We won't invade your privacy," Jasper said, "we just want to be there to support you."

"Yeah right. It's not happening. You can support me at home. You can't embarrass me here." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Jasper turned his eyes into slits and stared her down, his blue eyes on fire with passion. "Oh, I'll _support_ you, all right. You can bet on that. I might even be able to work in some embarrassment."

Bella's whole face flushed with the promise in his words. He was an expert at arousing her. There was already dampness between her legs. She rubbed her thighs together in an effort to relieve her discomfort.

"Anyway," she changed the subject, "I'm sure there's a lot to do around here. The lawn needs to be mowed…" She bit into her sandwich, heavily aware of three sets of eyes burning into her.

"The lawn needs mowing, does it?" Jasper purred.

"Mmhm." Bella was having trouble forming another word.

"I suppose I can do that for you." Bella couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. She was 99.9% sure that she'd jump on him if she looked at any part of his anatomy.

A hand crawled up her thigh, drawing circles around her core. Bella shuddered, dropping her sandwich onto her plate. It didn't take a genius to know that it was Jasper.

"And t-the laundry needs to be done." She said, her breathing picking up.

"You need some washing done?" Edward joined in.

"The sheets are dirty."

"Are they?_ Very_ dirty?"

She didn't think she could take much more of this. "Extremely dirty."

Jasper's fingers dipped into the waistband of her shorts, exploring her heated folds with careful precision. He thumbed her clit, pinching it between his thumb and index finger.

Bella jumped. "Oh god…"

Jasper smirked. "Something wrong?"

She shook her head, halfway out of her senses already.

"Are you feeling well, love?" Edward's hot breath cascaded over the side of her face as he leaned in to her.

"Y-yes. I feel fine."

_Don't let them win!_

"Are you sure? Your face is all red." Emmett observed. He exchanged a meaningful glance with Edward. They loved getting her all worked up.

"I'm sure." Bella squeaked. She knew what they were up to. They were trying to bribe her into going with her.

_Not going to happen!_

Bella was calculating her next move carefully. She was a bit shaky as she slid her chair backward with her feet firmly on the floor. She shocked them all by dashing out of her seat and out of the kitchen. They were hot on her trail, though, giving chase without a second thought. Bella discarded her shirt along the way, flinging it behind her. Emmett caught it with ease.

Jasper plucked her off the ground in the next instant, grabbing her around the waist and pressing her against his chest. He carried her into the bedroom, throwing her onto the bed and capturing her lips in a heated kiss. He trailed down her neck and chest, growing harder as his lips came across her bare breasts.

Jasper stood up, and, along with Emmett and Edward, started tearing off his clothes. Bella shimmied out of her shorts, laying back and admiring them as their shirts came off and, even better, their boxers. They were all hard and erect and perfectly perfect.

Just for her.

She wanted to reach out and touch them, stroke them, but that had to wait. They were ready to go at it hard and fast. None of them, including Bella, were in the mood for slow and soft.

Edward grabbed the lube out of the nightstand, catching Bella's eye and smirking. He flipped open the cap and squeezed some into his hand. He pumped himself lightly, lubricating his stiff cock while Bella watched. She was going crazy. They were all naked, all ready, and no one was touching her.

That couldn't be right.

Emmett crawled onto the bed towards Bella, raising her hopes. Bella bit her lip, desperate for his touch. He brought his hand to her pussy, cupping her. Bella tried to get closer to his nimble fingers, but he wasn't giving.

"Emmett…" She growled, frustrated.

He chuckled, sliding a finger into her entrance. "I know, I shouldn't tease you. But you're so cute when you pout." He poked his tongue out to lick her lips before diving into her mouth and sucking on her tongue. Bella moaned, gyrating her hips to get more friction. Emmett's erection rested on her inner leg, just begging for attention. She clamped her hand on him and started jacking him off.

"Shit, Bella, if you keep doing that, this will be over before it even begins." Emmett said through gritted teeth.

Jasper and Edward finally got onto the bed. Emmett took his cue and peeled himself from her lips, leaving Bella bereft. He made way for Jasper, though, and took his own place next to her. It amazed Bella how in sync her lovers were with one another. There was so much silent communication going on that it baffled her.

Jasper hoisted Bella up and sat her on her knees. He switched their positions, sliding underneath her so that she could ride him. Edward was behind her with the bottle of lube.

"Are you ready for us?" He leaned into her back so that she could feel both his muscular abs and his erection.

"Uh-huh." Bella sighed in content when she felt both Edward and Jasper enter her at the same time. She opened her mouth wide to take in Emmett.

Jasper drove into her with hungry fervor while Edward was careful, pumping in and out of her in precise, hard thrusts. Emmett held her head for leverage but didn't force her. His tip hit the back of her throat as she lapped and sucked him, moaning around his member every time Edward and Jasper plunged into her.

Bella rode Jasper, meeting him thrust for thrust and pushing back into Edward. They worked frantically with each other, the four of them, clawing at skin and trying to go deeper with each plunge.

They lay in a heap of sweaty bodies afterward. Emmett and Edward each played with one of Bella's breasts, licking and sucking them like she was a tasty dessert.

Jasper was still lying beneath her, her back to his chest. He massaged her scalp and sniffed her hair. It smelled like mango today.

"So…" he continued massaging her, "can we go with you now?"

Bella smiled. "Nope."

Jasper, Edward, and Emmett all stopped what they were doing to look at her.

"Damn." Jasper muttered.

Bella giggled. "Oh hush. Now get back to what you were doing. I need to be relaxed before my session, and you did say you would support me."

Emmett winked at her, and continued teasing her nipple with his teeth and tongue. Edward kissed her stomach and bellybutton lazily, his hand replacing his mouth on her other breast.

"You're right, I did." Jasper said. "And I never go back on my word."

_Fuck._

* * *

><p>Bella walked into the waiting room with her bag hoisted over her shoulder and her stomach in knots. She didn't need to be nervous; she'd been to therapy countless times and revealed things that she never wanted to talk about again. Now she had one or two more items on that list, although they didn't really compare to her mommy and daddy issues.<p>

Dr. Leah Clearwater was by far the best therapist she ever had. Bella trusted her and, to her surprise, liked her, which was saying something because Bella didn't like all that many people.

There was a man in the waiting room and a receptionist at the desk, both of whom were unnervingly quiet. Bella sat down in one of the chairs and dug a book out of her bag. She needed to pass the time with something, and she hadn't been reading as much due to school.

At two minutes to 4:30, the office door swung open, revealing Dr. Clearwater and a middle-aged woman.

"I'll see you next week, Mrs. Lake." The man in the waiting room stood up and looped his arm through the woman's.

_Must be her husband._

Bella wondered if she should have brought one of the boys with her. She told herself that it was nothing she couldn't handle, but she had to admit that she could have used a hand to hold just then.

_Don't be pathetic. What do you think is going to happen? You're going to talk. That's it. You don't even have to talk about _it_ this week. There's always next time._

But Bella's stomach did a flip-flop. Was she ready for this? She should be. They'd talked about everything. Dr. Clearwater knew about her relationship with Emmett, Jasper, and Edward. She knew about her father and all the goons that went with him. They talked briefly about her mother, but Bella hated bringing her up. She still cried thinking about Renee Mercury.

"Bella, how nice to see you again." Bella was greeted warmly by the kind doctor. Leah Clearwater was an attractive woman in her mid-thirties. The last time Bella had seen her, she'd been heavily pregnant. Now she was almost as svelte as she had been before her pregnancy.

"You too, Dr. Clearwater." Bella stepped into the office and settled herself on the couch. "How's the baby?"

Leah smiled. "He's beautiful. Growing fast. Becky and I have our hands full." She said, referring to her girlfriend of five years, Rebecca. "Now, tell me how you are. What have you been up to since we last met?"

Bella tensed.

_Here we go._

* * *

><p>Jasper mowed the lawn like Bella suggested. That was all he could come up with to busy himself while Bella was gone. He got anxious and bored when Bella was away, so he always gave himself tasks to complete in order to make the time pass. So he mowed the lawn, weed-whacked, and cleaned the kitchen floor.<p>

Edward was doing the laundry. He changed the sheets on the bed and gathered up Bella's clothes from the hamper and washed those, too. There were various articles of clothing scattered around the house, mostly Bella's panties and an occasional bra. He found one of Emmett's socks rolled up in a corner and a pair of his own boxers that had gone missing.

Emmett was out for a jog. He wasn't allowed around cleaning supplies or laundry detergent, so he decided to work off some steam by pounding the pavement.

It was all done in an effort to avoid temptation; the temptation of driving over to where Bella was and crashing her appointment. Or waiting outside the door. They didn't want to crash it so much as be in the vicinity.

But they were being decidedly good about it. It wasn't easy, but it was what Bella wanted, and they kept that in mind.

The house phone rang at 5:00. Edward picked it up on the second ring, anticipating hearing Bella's voice on the other end.

"Bella?" He sounded more anxious then he wanted to let on.

"_No, Edward, it's your mother."_ Esme said.

Edward exhaled, relieved. For a second there he thought that something was wrong.

"Hi mom." Edward opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water. "How are you?" They'd seen her and Carlisle on Sunday like they often did. What could she be calling about so soon?

"_Good. I was wondering if the four of you could come over tonight for dinner. We want to ask you for a favor."_

_A favor?_

"Sure, mom, anything. What time?"

"_Seven? You're not busy tonight are you? I don't want to interrupt anything."_

"No, seven in fine. Is something wrong?" He hoped nothing bad happened. His mom wasn't usually cryptic or secretive.

"_Nothing is wrong. Like I said, we want to ask a favor. That's all."_

"Okay, we'll be there at seven." Edward was beyond curious now.

Emmett ran in a few minutes later, out of breath. He bent over the kitchen counter, panting. Edward grabbed him a water bottle and threw it to him, which Emmett deftly caught.

He gulped down half of it before speaking. "Man, it's crazy out there."

Jasper walked in, covered in sweat and cut grass. "What's crazy?"

"The world outside of our Cullen Utopia." Emmett answered, his voice gravelly.

Edward sniggered. "What happened?"

Emmett shook his head. "Man, I almost got run over…"

Edward frowned. "What? By a car?"

"Nah, by a deer. The motherfucker shot out of the woods and nearly took me down. It's a good thing I'm fast. I'd be deer casualty otherwise. You know, they should be nicer to me. I don't eat deer meat. You'd think they'd thank me or something, but what do they do? They try to kill me. Ungrateful, I tell you." He guzzled the rest of his drink.

"Wow, Emmett, sounds traumatizing." Jasper thumped him on the back. "I doubt it meant you any harm."

"You weren't there."

"True. Maybe you should stop jogging near the woods. There are a lot of animals in there. We wouldn't want you to get mauled." Jasper checked his watch. "5:05. Bella should be done by 5:20. Damn."

"What?" Edward asked.

"I wanted to meet her." Jasper admitted. "There's not enough time, though. Oh well, I'm gonna hit the shower."

"Nah-uh. _I'm_ taking a shower first." Emmett protested. "I just saw my life flash before my eyes. I earned a long, cold shower."

"I would have thought getting shot was worse." Jasper mused.

Emmett prodded his chest with his empty water bottle. "Yeah, but this was different. You have to live through a near deer-attack to understand. You'll never know what it's like, bro." He peeled off his soaked shirt and slapped it on the floor. "Goddamn, I am so hot. I think I'm gonna go take that cold shower now."

Jasper eyed the shirt on the floor, disgusted. "Don't make it too long. I want to be presentable when Bella gets home."

"Oh yeah," Edward said, grabbing his bickering brothers' attentions, "mom called. She wants us to come over tonight."

"Really?" Jasper said. "We just saw them on Sunday."

"I know, but she said she and dad have a favor to ask us." Hs shrugged. "We'll get there around seven."

"That's odd. Wonder what it could be…"

"As long as there's food, who cares?" Emmett stretched his arms over his head, the muscles in his back and shoulders crackling. "Ugh…" He walked out of the kitchen.

"It is just me or is he in a bad mood?" Edward said.

"Shit, let him wallow. Maybe he'll be in a better mood after he cools off." Jasper checked his watch again. "I really wish she had let me come."

"You know you would have fucked it up again." Edward pointed out. "Remember what happened after last time? Bella wouldn't have sex with _any_ of us for a _week_. I blame you for that. And she gave us the cold shoulder for two days. That was not fun. It was all your fault, too."

"Shut up, Edward. For god's sake, I'm worried about her. I want to be there for her and know that she's not about to have some sort of breakdown."

"We're all worried. But we can't make her tell us." Edward sat down. "Besides, she's been a lot better the past few days. Whatever was bothering her seems to have passed."

"I hope so, but I doubt it. She was crying about it. I mean, if it wasn't a big deal, why would she cry?"

Edward didn't have the answer to that. "She's been emotional lately. I'm just praying that whatever it is isn't a big problem."

Jasper puckered his brow, thinking. "I can't imagine what it is. She'd tell us if someone was bothering her."

"It's probably something else, then." Edward didn't want to talk about it anymore. Despite all the conversations they'd had about Bella recently, they never got anywhere. Edward figured that whatever secret she was holding on to, it wouldn't be a secret for long. You couldn't keep secrets around the Cullens. At some point, they'd sniff you out.

* * *

><p>Jasper had intended to take a quick shower and be out and dressed by the time Bella walked through the door, but Emmett took too long "cooling off". As Jasper stepped out of the shower, Bella walked through the front door. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went out into the hall.<p>

"I'm home," he heard her call out.

"Hey baby." He walked over to her, already feeling better now that she was home.

Bella eyed him from head to toe, her gaze sweeping over his wet chest and covered groin. "Hey."

He hugged her. "How did it go?"

"It was fine. I was nervous, but I got over it." She buried her face in his chest, comforted by his presence. "It's good to be home."

Jasper rested his chin on her head. He loved hearing her say that. "Well, darling, I'm afraid we have to go out again tonight."

Bella titled her head. "What are you talking about?"

"Mom wants to talk to us." He explained. "She called while you were gone."

"Is anything the matter?"

"She gave Edward the impression that everything is fine, but she wouldn't say what she and dad want to talk to us about. She just said they have a favor to ask us."

"Huh…that's weird."

"Yeah. So we'll leave a little before seven. We're having dinner there, if that's all right." Jasper rubbed her back. "Are you sleepy?"

Bella nodded. "You wore me down this afternoon."

Jasper smirked. "Oh yeah? Perhaps I should carry you around for the rest of the night. It's my fault you're exhausted, after all, so it's only right I take responsibility."

Bella laughed. "I didn't say I was exhausted."

"Oh well, never mind then." He squeezed her ass. "I better get dressed."

"Do you have to?" Bella pouted. If she had her way, he would be naked every time she came home. It was like getting a present.

"Yes, I don't think mom and dad will appreciate seeing me in nothing but a towel. You know how easily dad is startled."

Bella liked embarrassing Carlisle, but she was a firm believer in mercy. "Okay, go cover your fine ass in clothes. I'll get you naked later."

Jasper brought his lips closer to hers. "Is that a promise?"

"Yup."

He smacked her ass. "Good." Regrettably, they parted. Bella was tempted to go and help him dress. It was a good idea, but she really wanted to see where Emmett and Edward were.

"Wait, where are Edward and Emmett?"

Jasper frowned. "Um…I don't know. Somewhere. Emmett was a bit moody earlier. He almost got mowed down by a deer, and it pissed him off. Edward might still be doing laundry." He made his way to the bedroom, leaving Bella confused.

A deer?

She found Edward in the laundry room. "Edward…"

He turned around, a broad smile breaking out on his face. "Hey love. How did it go?"

"Better than I expected." She peered around the small room. "I don't suppose you know where Emmett is? Jasper said something about a deer…"

Comprehension dawned on his face. "Yeah, he's in his old bedroom. He was out jogging when a giant deer darted out of the woods and narrowly missed him. He's cranky at the moment. I don't know why. He's more upset about this than he was about getting shot."

Bella was suddenly concerned. What if Emmett had been hurt? "I'll go check on him."

The light in his room wasn't on when she entered. Emmett was laying on his back, his hands folded behind his head, eyes closed.

"Em?" Bella whispered.

His eyes flew open. "Bella?" The formerly grim expression on his handsome face was replaced by a happy one.

"What are you doing in here?" Bella stepped further inside.

Emmett shrugged. "I wanted to be alone."

"Oh," Bella started backing out, thinking that was what he wanted.

"No, not you!" Emmett sat up, opening his arms to her. "Come here. I want to be alone with you."

Bella happily obliged, wriggling into his arms. "Is everything alright with you?" She asked.

"Mm, perfect." He held her tight.

"Want to tell me what happened?"

Emmett certainly didn't want to discuss it, but it was Bella... "They told you, right?"

"Yeah…are you hurt?" She couldn't see him clearly in the dark, but he _seemed_ unharmed.

"No, no, just annoyed. I got angry. I don't like being taken by surprise. It makes me feel like a wuss."

"As long as you're in one piece, that's what matters." Bella patted his chest, thankful that he was there with her. The scenario was ridiculous, but he could have been seriously hurt. She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to him again. She remembered how scared she was when she found out he'd been shot three years ago. That was one of the worst feelings.

"I get paranoid sometimes." He confided. "I worry that something will happen to one of us, and that will be it. It makes me want to go away somewhere remote where nothing bad ever happens."

"That sounds nice."

"It does, doesn't it?" He chuckled. "I guess we should get ready to go soon."

"Yes, but we have time. Let's lie here for a little longer." Bella snuggled closer to him, content to listen to his heartbeat.

* * *

><p>"Hi mommy!"Emmett kissed his mom on the cheek when she opened the door.<p>

Esme let her children in, giving each of them a peck on the cheek. "Sorry to make you guys come over tonight. I know it must be inconvenient.

"Not at all." Bella insisted.

Esme smiled at her. "Should we have dinner first?"

Jasper was eager to find out what was going on. "No, let's talk first. You've got us all dying of curiosity."

Esme blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. Let's go into the family room." They settled themselves on the couch while Esme fetched Carlisle from his upstairs office.

"So," Esme began once she and Carlisle were side by side on the settee, "you know we're going away in a couple of weeks…"

They did. They went away every summer for two weeks.

"Well, you see, there have been a string of break-ins nearby in the past month. Someone the next street over was robbed."

The four of them were alarmed.

Carlisle and Esme hadn't been robbed, had they?

"Oh, don't worry." Esme said. "No one was hurt, and we haven't had any incidents here, what with the gate, but the thieves have been on a spree. They've hit five houses, and we're reluctant to go abroad. We don't want to leave the house empty for two whole weeks. Even with the alarm on and the gate locked, someone could still slip in, especially if they realize that no one is here. So we were wondering if you four would be up for house sitting."

Jasper looked at his siblings and Bella, all of them equally surprised but not entirely against the scheme.

"Of course, mom, it's no problem. Frankly, I agree with you. You're more likely to get robbed when you're away. Thieves always have their eyes peeled for vulnerable houses. We'll do it."

"Yeah, ma, we'd be delighted." Emmett chimed in. "We can stay in our childhood rooms like old times." He gazed at Bella. "Actually, we'll have to figure out a sleeping arrangement, but it shouldn't be a problem. We could use a change."

Bella and Edward agreed.

"Great!" Esme clapped her hands together. "I'll stock the kitchen with food before we go, and I'll put fresh sheets on the beds."

There she was playing mother. They loved that about her. Sometimes she acted as if they were still her little babies, and to her they were.

"Thanks guys." Carlisle smiled. "It means a lot to us. It'll relieve our minds while we're away."

"No problem dad." Edward said. "It'll be fun. Your house is so much bigger than ours."

"Yes, it's a shame there aren't more people to fill it up, in a way. It was much more fulfilling when the three of you were kids. We had a full house then. It was lively. It's too big for two people."

"Hehe, don't worry, dad, we'll liven it up." Emmett swore.

Esme watched him suspiciously. "No parties."

"When have we ever had parties?"

Esme considered. "True. But still…no strangers in the house."

"It'll be the four of us like it always is." Edward told her. "So, when are you going away again?"

It wasn't how they expected to spend any part of their summer, but Emmett was right, Jasper thought. They needed a change. He looked at Bella, and the idea seemed better and better.

Yes, they definitely needed a change.

**A/N** Reviews=love


	6. The Lover of Brothers

Disclaimer: Hi, this is Stephenie Meyers here. I just wanted to tell you that I handed the rights to the Twilight series over to this young lady.

Aw, that was nice!

Adore

Chapter 5 – The Lover of Brothers

"We finally get to have sex in my childhood bed!"

"And the Jacuzzi. Don't forget the Jacuzzi."

"Oooh! And the office! We can totally do it on dad's desk."

"Emmett, let's not defile dad's working space. I'll never be able to look him in the eye again if I have sex on his desk."

"But the Jacuzzi is okay? You know they've probably done it in there. Doesn't _that_ bother you?" Emmett challenged Jasper.

Jasper scrunched his nose in distaste. "Yeah, that is a disturbing possibility. Might have to rethink that."

"Nonsense," Emmett said, "Jacuzzis were meant for having sex in. Besides, mom and dad probably never have sex. Ever. I bet it's been years."

Jasper laughed. "I know you're not that naïve. And you just contradicted yourself, by the way. You said they do it in the Jacuzzi."

Emmett stuck his chin the air. "Shut up. I can pretend. They_ never_ have sex, got it?"

"Sure, sure. As celibate as they come."

Emmett and Jasper were sifting through the racks at the department store in the mall, looking for new shirts and jackets. Jasper's winter coat had expired the year before after a raccoon dragged it off into the woods, _and_ his favorite light jacket had gone missing. Since fall was approaching, Bella had urged him to buy a new one. The fall clothes were already starting to come out. And it was just the beginning of summer. Jasper found it odd, but didn't think about it too much. They were fresh into June, and to Jasper the colder seasons were too far away to be concerned about.

Bella was currently in the junior's department. Edward was somewhere…actually, where was he?

"Where's Edward?" Jasper asked Emmett.

Emmett peered around the men's department, but there was no sign of his bronze-haired brother. "Maybe he went looking for Bella?"

"We should go find them soon." Jasper took a jacket off the rack and examined it before putting it back. "I hate shopping."

"I don't, but that's because I look good in everything. Mirrors love me."

Emmett slipped on a puffy coat with a fur-lined hood. "See? I look hot, don't I?"

Jasper shook his head. "You look like an idiot in a furry coat."

"Jealousy is an ugly trait, Jazz." Emmett zipped himself up and went in search of a mirror.

"Whatever." Jasper muttered. After several more minutes of tedious clothes browsing, Jasper gave up and went looking for Bella. She wasn't in the women's section, or the junior's. He found Edward, though. He was carefully eyeing a suit. An expensive suit, at that.

"You're not going to buy that, are you?" Jasper fingered the lapels, bringing Edward out of his reverie.

"Oh, I don't know. It's been a long time since I bought a new suit. I've had the same three since I was twenty. They're not even that fancy. I just thought it'd be nice to spruce it up a bit."

"You should get it, then." Jasper said.

"I think I will. It's not like I can't afford it." Edward smiled. "We need to go out somewhere nice soon. We should get dressed up. It's been a long time since we did that."

Jasper beamed. "Definitely. I don't know how fancy the restaurant we're going to tonight is, but considering the prices, I think we should dress a little more upscale than usual."

They were finally going to that new restaurant tonight; the one Jasper had been wanting to try out for the past few weeks. They hadn't gone out to a restaurant, a nice one, in a few months. To say Jasper was looking forward to it was an understatement. He was the foodie of the four of them, so hearing Edward say that he wanted to go somewhere nice made him happy. It wasn't always easy to convince Bella and his brothers to go out. Bella was easier to persuade, but Emmett and Edward usually wanted to stay in or order out.

"That settles it." Edward had a satisfied look about him. "I'm buying it. Hell, maybe I'll but two. They're on sale."

"Really?" Jasper grabbed the tag. "Shit, maybe I'll buy one, too. We can all go out in style. I should make Emmett get one…"

"And Bella can get a new dress. She doesn't really own a lot of dresses."

_No_, Jasper thought, _she owns a grand total of one, and she never wears it._ He was going to buy her one, or whatever she wanted to wear, be it a ball gown or a t-shirt. Bella so rarely agreed to new clothes, but Jasper was going to insist. He loved spoiling her.

"Do you know where Bella is?" Jasper still hadn't caught sight of her. It was beginning to worry him. When they went out shopping, someone was almost always with Bella. That was just how it was. No one liked leaving her alone for too long in case something happened. So they went with her down every aisle, every section of a store. Jasper didn't know if Bella was aware of what they were doing, but knowing her she probably was.

"No, I haven't. Let me pay for this, and then we can go look for her. And Emmett, since he seems to be missing as well."

"He's admiring himself in one of the dressing rooms," Jasper told him. "He tried on some fugly coat and decided that he looked hot in it. He shouldn't be hard to find."

Indeed, a moment later, Emmett sprinted out of the dressing room with a bundle of clothes in his arms. "I just realized," he said, out of breath, "that I haven't bought a new pair of pants in over two years. Or shirts. Isn't there some rule about that?"

Edward shrugged. "If you're into fashion, maybe. I just wear them until I can't wear them anymore. So you're buying all of that?"

"Yup."

"Hey Em," Jasper pulled out a suit jacket and checked the price tag, "do you have a nice suit to wear for tonight?"

"I guess." Emmett eyed Edward's ensemble, darting his gaze back to Jasper in suspicion. "Why? Is it some fancy dig?"

"Well we were thinking that we should dress up tonight, and yes, The Sauce Pot is a fancy place. But even if it wasn't, we feel like getting dressed up." He could see that Emmett wasn't being swayed. He preferred eating out of a pizza box to wearing a tie at a pricey eatery. "Wouldn't you love to see Bella in a pretty dress?" He figured if anything was going to enthuse Emmett, that would be it.

Emmett thought about it for a second. "Hmm….doesn't sound like a bad idea. I have the pants, but the jacket is a mess. The cuffs are all frayed and stained. I think I wore it to too many weddings and bat mitzvahs."

"When were you at a bat mitzvah?" Jasper asked.

"You know, when I was sixteen. Oh, you were at college then. Mom and dad had this friend whose son was having one, so we went. I got cake on my jacket. It never recovered, even after mom had it dry-cleaned."

"You've had it since you were sixteen?" Jasper was horrified. It probably didn't even fit. Emmett had acquired more muscle over the years…

"That was one of them. I bought my newest one when I started working at Forks High. _That_ jacket had a bad accident in the washing machine."

"You put it in a washing machine?" Edward wondered why someone hadn't stopped him. Emmett was incapable of washing clothes. He had a tendency to murder them when he did.

"I didn't know it wasn't supposed to go in there."

"And the pants?" Jasper held little hope for its survival.

"I still wear them to school. If you don't count the ketchup and mustard stains, they're actually in good condition." Emmett said it with pride. "And of course I have my other pants. Not the fanciest, but they're dressy enough for school without being too dressy. And my ass looks great in them. Will that work?"

Jasper and Edward looked at each other.

"New suit." Jasper said, flinging a jacket at him.

* * *

><p>It was surprisingly difficult to find Bella, but when they did, she already had a bag in her hands. That made them raise their eyebrows. Bella bought clothes? Voluntarily?<p>

It seemed too good to be true.

She was striding past the men's department, her eyes searching for her three boyfriends. Jasper saw her first. They'd finished their shopping about ten minutes earlier and then went on the hunt for Bella. They'd been going around in circles.

"Hey." Jasper led the way as they ran to catch up with her. Bella swung around, a relieved smile gracing her lips.

"There you are." She said.

"No, there _you_ are." Emmett countered. "We looked all over for you, but you disappeared. You haven't been hiding, have you?" He narrowed his eyes at her, joking.

"No. You just weren't looking in the right place." Bella gave them a wry smile, and Jasper became acutely aware that she was carrying a bag with her.

"What have you got there, darling?" He put his hand out, as if expecting her to give it to him. Bella hid it behind her back instead.

"Just things."

Ah, so she was in one of _those _moods. She was being mysterious.

"You should have come to me." Jasper retreated his hand. "You didn't have to pay for them."

"I can afford my own clothes," Bella reddened. She was certainly a kept woman at times. She had some money saved up from her grandmother's inheritance (which she was shocked to learn about from her grandfather), as well as some she'd earned over the past months by walking people's dogs over her school breaks. She didn't know if she was doing that this summer. No one had called, and Bella wasn't too eager. What she really looked forward to was spending more time with her boys, and they preferred it when she didn't have a job. They adored taking care of her. Bella always protested when they paid for things; her car, car insurance, clothes, toiletries, everything. She could barely convince them to let her buy Christmas and Birthday presents.

"I know, but I want to pay for it. This is supposed to be my treat for you." Jasper pouted in that way that made Bella instantly bend to his will. She was good at steeling herself, though.

"Why don't you consider this _my_ treat for _you_?" Bella almost laughed at the expressions on their faces. Their curiosities were definitely peeked.

"What exactly did you buy?" Emmett tried to sneak a peek, but Bella was too quick.

"You'll find out…eventually."

"At least tell me how much it is so you don't have to spend your money." Jasper pleaded.

"Jasper, I can pay for my own stuff." Bella didn't want to turn this into an argument. But that was one of the problems when you dated someone who wanted to do everything for you. Literally.

Jasper stared at her, thinking of how he could win this fight, but seeing the set determination on Bella's face, he decided to give in. "Fine, but I _am_ buying you a dress."

Bella frowned. "A dress? Why?" She didn't like wearing dresses. She felt too exposed.

"Because," Jasper kissed her briefly on the lips, "we're going out tonight."

"I know, but you didn't mention that I'd have to wear a dress."

"You don't _have_ to wear a dress, we just thought it'd be nice for all of us to go swank tonight. We bought brand new suits. We haven't had a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant in a long time. Figured we could go all out this time." He looked at her, hopeful.

Bella wasn't capable of denying him just then, or any of them. It was clear that they all wanted to do this, so she agreed.

"Alright, but nothing too expensive. Or short. Or breast-baring. Something modest and cheap will do."

Jasper hugged her, grateful. "Come on," he took her by the hand, "let's go find some dresses for you to try on."

* * *

><p>An hour and a half later, Bella sat in the back seat of the car with Emmett and Edward, fuming.<p>

"I can't believe you spent that much on a dress." She glared at Jasper through the rearview mirror.

He just smirked. "It wasn't that much. Besides, it's beautiful. Not as beautiful as you, but still. You look lovely in it. Blue really suits you, you know."

"It was four-hundred dollars, Jasper! No dress is worth that, especially not one that I'll probably only wear once." Bella couldn't see the point in wasting money on such a needless garment. Yes, it was beautiful, but she wasn't going to wear it often enough to get their money's worth out of it.

"Bella please, for us. Just for tonight." Jasper met her eyes in the mirror.

She caved. "Fine. Bastard."

They laughed.

"Actually," Bella thought aloud, "I can wear it again in a couple of weeks for your birthday dinner, Edward."

Edward liked that idea. He had almost completely forgotten about his birthday. He was going to be twenty-eight. God, where had the time gone? All of their birthdays were close together. His in June, Emmett's in April, Bella's in September, and Jasper's in July.

"See?" Edward said. "It's already worth the price, because I get to see you in it on my birthday."

"Well, when you put it like that…" Bella grinned. She pulled her shopping bag closer to her lap, protecting it from three sets of prying eyes. She was adamant about keeping her purchases a secret. For one, she had bought Edward a present. The last thing she wanted was Emmett or Jasper spoiling it. She'd also bought one or two pieces of lingerie, and that was definitely meant as a surprise. There were a couple other things in the bag, as well. She was definitely going to hide everything when she got the chance. All three of them were snoopy.

"What is this place called again?" Bella asked.

"The Sauce Pot." Jasper said.

Bella snorted.

"Hey, it's a good name for a restaurant."

"I didn't say anything." Bella hid a smile.

* * *

><p>Bella was suddenly happy to be wearing an expensive dress when they made it to The Sauce Pot. The place was gorgeous. Inside, it looked Victorian and oh-so classy. It certainly wasn't the sort of place you wanted to dress casually for. The waiters all wore tuxedos, and the waitresses had on modest black dresses with white aprons. Not even Jasper had expected any of this.<p>

"I feel like we're in a castle with a bunch of ghosts." Emmett whispered to Bella.

"They are…old fashioned." Bella conceded.

"Reservation for Cullen." Jasper informed the host. He'd requested somewhere secluded, and happily they were seated in the corner of the room away from most prying eyes.

Bella had Jasper and Edward on either side of her, and Emmett across from her. They each took a menu. Everyone except Jasper nearly flew out of the restaurant when they spotted the prices.

"Jasper," Bella leaned closer to him, afraid of being overheard, "can we afford this?"

Jasper didn't look in the least worried. "Yes. Don't worry about it, we have money. I'm paying for it, anyway. This is a special treat. Just relax and get whatever you want."

Bella wasn't totally reassured. She grew up around money, but she never took it for granted. She was a saver, not a spender, and the idea of spending an arm and a leg for _one_ meal made her cringe. But one time wouldn't hurt…

"If you say so." Bella did what Jasper said and relaxed. It really was a great place. She couldn't remember the last time they had gone on a date. Staying home was so much easier (and so much closer to the bedroom).

Emmett played with his silverware while they waited for their food to arrive. "I was thinking…"

They waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"Yes?" Jasper urged him on.

"I was wondering about the sleeping arrangements when we go to mom and dad's next week. Most of the beds are twin size, and mom and dad's is well…ew."

"We could push a couple of beds together." Edward suggested.

"That's a lot of trouble." Jasper said, annoyed.

"You know what might work?" Everyone turned to Bella expectantly. "Why don't we take your old mattresses off of the frames and put them together on the floor in one of the bedrooms? All of your rooms are big enough, and mattresses are easy to move. It only takes two people. That way we don't have to be separated."

Jasper was pretty sure that he wanted to ravage her just then. "That's a fucking great idea!" He was so relieved that he nearly jumped out of his seat.

"Jasper, shh!" Bella hoped no one heard that.

"You're a genius." Emmett grinned from ear to ear.

"That should work perfectly." Edward squeezed her hand affectionately.

Two waiters approached then carrying their dinner. Emmett had his attention fully on the plates of food.

"Thank god, I am starving." He snatched it from the waiter's arm and started digging in as soon as the plate was in front of him. The waiter was not amused.

"Emmett, don't maul the staff." Edward said.

"Shut it, Eddie, I'm a hungry man with an empty stomach. All that shopping wore me out." Emmett spoke with food in his mouth, which probably wasn't the best impression to make at a place such as this.

"It's going to be weird staying there." Bella said. "Their house is so big and…clean. God, I hope I don't break one of Esme's vases. She has so many fragile things lying around."

Edward chuckled. "Don't worry about it, love. Even if you did break something, which I highly doubt, mom won't care. We've all broken our fair share of glassware."

"I once fell into a painting." Emmett revealed.

Bella could almost imagine it. "Really? How did that happen?"

"Dad had bought it as a gift for mom. He brought it home and put it against the entryway wall, and I tripped on it. My leg went straight through. The whole middle tore. Dad was furious, but mom wasn't."

"Yeah, and I destroyed several plates in my time, including a piece of wedding china that belonged to my grandparents. Mom was a little upset about that one." Edward said.

Bella turned her attention to Jasper. "What about you?"

Jasper froze, his fork half way to his mouth. "Oh, uh, nothing."

Emmett howled with laughter. "Liar. Tell Bella what you did when you were fifteen."

"It was nothing." Jasper insisted.

"Okay, I'll tell her for you…" Emmett warned.

Jasper groaned. "Fine, I accidentally dented dad's car."

"And by 'dented' he means he drove it into the mailbox." Emmett wore a shit-eating grin, quite smug.

"It wasn't a big deal." Jasper blushed.

"It was a Mercedes." Emmett said. "You're lucky dad ever let you drive again."

"Can we please change the subject?" Jasper hated the negative attention. Bella was amused, but he was embarrassed. He didn't like appearing idiotic in front of her if he could help it. She had seen enough of his bad side as it was.

"Fine with me," Edward placed a napkin on his lap, "I'm ravenous. Let's eat."

Unfortunately for Bella, all three of them were fast eaters. She hadn't eaten half of her meal before they were finished with theirs. So they resorted to their normal pastime: they stared at her.

It seriously irked Bella when they watched her eat. They did it a lot, though.

"Can you stop that?" She finally had to say something. They'd been staring for five minutes.

"Stop what?" Jasper asked.

"Stop ogling me."

"Sorry." Edward didn't sound sorry.

"It's just that you're sitting there being…amazing." Emmett propped his chin in his hand and gazed at her.

"I'm eating." Bella said. "In what way am I being 'amazing'?"

"You just are."

Bella put her fork down. "You know what, I'm full anyway. Let me just go wash my hands. I got sauce all over them." She looked down at her hands, noting the red sauce splattered on her wrist and fingertips.

"Want me to lick it off for you?" Emmett waggled his eyebrows, about to get up.

"Don't even think about it!" Bella laughed, standing up. "Now don't watch me. It makes me self-conscious when you do that."

"We'll try, but no promises." Jasper said.

"I'm not promising anything," Emmett leaned back in his chair, "I mean just look at that fine ass. It'd be wrong _not_ to stare at it."

Bella gave up. "Gee, thanks. _Now_ I'm not self-conscious." She wished she could somehow cover her ass as she walked away, but there was nothing she could do about it. The bathroom wasn't far off, so her walk of embarrassment was short. She washed her hands in the sink, thankful that no one else was in there. She needed a moment to breathe and cool off. She had been getting hot under their heated gazes.

She took a deep breath and yanked off a paper towel from the dispenser. She assessed herself in the mirror. Her chest and cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. Yup, she was happy. With a small smile directed at herself in the glass, she left, pushing open the door. She was so preoccupied that she nearly walked into another person.

"Bella?"

Her first thought was Jasper, but she was soon corrected. She looked up into the eyes of…"P-Professor Wesley…"

_Dammit! It's okay, don't panic. Just stay calm and pretend you're not bothered. Easy enough._

Professor Wesley grinned, and Bella was hyper aware of how close he was standing. _Too_ close. She stepped back. Even then he was crowding her, but she didn't want to be obvious and, you know, move across the room.

He looked happy to see her. But that was an understatement, and Bella knew it.

"Please Bella," he said, "Call me Peter outside of school. There's no need to be so formal."

_I don't want to call you Peter!_

"Right…well, um, nice to see you, Professor Wesley. I mean Peter." Her cheeks flamed, and Bella could sense her lovers watching them intensely from the other side of the room. She prayed none of them came over.

"It's nice to see you too, Bella. How has your summer vacation been?" Oh, so he was going to keep her there, was he? Start a conversation, be polite? Bella was not in the mood.

"It's been going well. I mean it just started." It was a little rude not to ask him the same, but Bella wasn't about to encourage more talk. She wanted to get away from him as fast as possible.

"That's great." Peter said. "Yeah, I've just been relaxing as much as possible and spending time with my family." He gestured to a table located in the center of the room. There was an older couple there along with an attractive blonde woman. Good, he had a girlfriend!

"Those are my parents and my sister. May I introduce you?"

Fuck! Why was the universe against her? Again! Not only was the pretty woman not his girlfriend, but he wanted to introduce them to her. That wasn't normal, was it? She was his former student, and she didn't even like him!

"Oh, I'm with people, actually." Bella averted her eyes to where Jasper, Edward, and Emmett were. Sure enough, they were staring at her. They did not look happy. Peter looked over at them, too. He didn't seem to find anything alarming about her dining with three grown, handsome men.

He turned back to her. "Ah, I'm sorry. I'll let you get back to your brothers, then. Maybe another time. And hey, maybe you'll be in one of my classes this coming semester."

_Brothers?_

"Yes, maybe…" _Please god no!_

Bella finally found her reason to leave. "Well it was nice talking to you again, Professor Wesley."

"Peter."

"Peter." Bella was itching to run. "Bye then." She was starting to make her escape when he did something completely unexpected. He took her hand and kissed it.

Bella stifled a gasp, regaining her composure as quickly as she'd lost it. She didn't say anything, just nodded to him and walked off.

_Oh my god, oh my god! WHY?_

He watched her stride quickly back to her three 'brothers'. Bella knew he was watching her, but she didn't dare look back. She'd seen him following her movements many times before. He was the one person (aside from her father and Laurent) whom she didn't ever want to see again. He made every school day a tense experience. Before school, during his class, after…she didn't want to think about it.

Why did he have to show up here of all places? And kiss her hand? He already made her dread school, now she dreaded going out to eat. Great.

When she sat back down, she was immediately assailed.

Jasper was the most perturbed, as expected. "Who was that?" He hissed. Bella was afraid that he was mad at her, but he wasn't.

"One of my Professors." Bella didn't want to give too much away.

"Seems kind of young." Emmett pouted. "I though most college professors were old and bald. And really, really fat."

"He's not _that_ young. Mid-to-late thirties. Older than you three." His age wasn't the real problem, though. Peter Wesley was not what you would call an ugly man. In fact, he was quite handsome. That's what bothered them the most. Then again, any man who looked at Bella the way Peter Wesley had (and kissed any part of her body) was automatically on their shit list, good looks or not.

"What did he say to you?" Edward asked, keeping his jealousy at bay. Or attempting to.

"Nothing, just the usual 'hello' and 'how are you'. He was just being polite." Bella had trouble looking any of them in the eye. They might learn her secret.

"Yeah right. It looked like more than 'hello, how are you' to me." Emmett growled.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Are you really getting jealous? You can't be serious." She waved the whole incident off like it really wasn't anything.

"He looked at you like he wanted to throw you on his bed, eat you out, and_ fuck_ you." Jasper clenched his fists.

Bella gaped at him. "Jasper, no he didn't! If this is how you're going to act, then let's leave. You're being so irrational. I mean he's a teacher. One of many. I don't know what you're getting so upset about."

Jasper nodded. "If you say so." He downed the last of his drink, stood up, grabbed Bella's face in his hands and gave her a possessive, angry kiss. Bella tried pushing him away, but he didn't budge.

People were watching.

Edward peeked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the professor. He was watching the whole scene with wide eyes.

He tapped his older brother on the shoulder. "Jasper, let's pay the check and get out of here. Get off of Bella, you idiot! We have an audience."

Jasper finally released Bella, leaving her panting for breath. "Okay, now we can go." He took her by the hand and hoisted her up.

Bella knew what he had in mind. He was going to take her home and claim her. She couldn't say she was totally opposed, either.

**A/N** Hope you liked! Please review! FYI, I'll probably post a pic of Peter on my Fanfiction blog sometime soon.


	7. A Kiss on the Hand

Disclaimer: I don't own this or the characters involved (my lawyer made me say this).

**A/N** *IMPORTANT* I hate to do this to anyone who likes this story, but I'm going to take a short hiatus. You can expect the next update in about a month, give or take a week. I'm not giving it up or anything, just taking a break. I'm writing another book at the moment, and I can't divide my attention between both right now. I feel that I can't make Adore as good as I want it to be if I can't dedicate the right amount of work and attention to it, and the same goes with my book. The book is still in the early stages, so I need to put some serious work into it, especially since I actually plan to self-publish it.

Anyway, I promise to get back to this soon. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out in early October.

Adore

Chapter 6 –A Kiss on the Hand

The way Professor Wesley had looked at her made Jasper's blood boil. And it wasn't just the way he had looked at her, it was his body language. He _wanted_ her. It infuriated him, and even well after the small incident had occurred, he was still seething. In fact, it was safe to say that he was worse off than he had been at the time.

He was sitting in the back of the car next to Emmett, who was glaring out the window into the rainy night. Edward had made sure to snatch up the car keys before either of them could. He hadn't had any alcohol, and he wasn't blinded by rage or passion. He also made sure that Bella was in the front passenger seat next to him, rather than sandwiched in between two angry Cullen men. That had only made Jasper more furious.

"Bella, get in the front with me," Edward said it in a low voice so that his brothers wouldn't react too harshly. It did no good, unfortunately. He held open the door for her, wishing she would get in quickly so they could get on the road and hopefully defuse the situation.

"She's sitting in the back with _me_, Edward." Jasper growled.

Edward held his hand up and moved in front of Bella. "You need to calm down. We don't need you mauling Bella in the back seat, okay? Just cool off." He looked back at Bella, begging her with his eyes to get in the car. She obliged. She didn't honestly want to sit next to Jasper or Emmett right then. They both had a wild look in their eyes. They were both angry. She was extremely grateful that Edward had his head on straight this time. It was obvious that he was unhappy about Professor Wesley, too, but he didn't overreact like they did. She didn't think there was much to react _to_. It was just a kiss on the hand…

She slid into the front seat and waited for them to get in.

Jasper was not a happy man.

"Fuck!" Jasper got into the back and slammed the car door. Emmett didn't throw a tantrum, but he did sulk a great deal. While he stared out the window, Jasper didn't take his eyes off of Bella for one second. He stared at her through the rearview mirror, trying to catch her eye; he stared at the side of her face, willing her to meet his gaze, which she refused to. He never spoke a word, though. Just watched, seething. He eyed her hand with disdain. _His_ DNA was still on it. He wanted to wipe that stupid kiss off the back of Bella's hand; wanted to wipe any traces of Professor Douchebag away. He'd had similar reactions to other men before; been disgustingly jealous and felt threatened and angered. It was never as bad as this, though. He couldn't make sense of why he was as angered as he was.

Bella hugged herself defensively. She wracked her brain, trying desperately to think of how to get out of the little pickle she found herself in. It was only because she was in love with such possessive men that she was in a pickle at all. Nothing had happened, they had no reason to be upset, but they were so predictable. _Of course_ they would get angry over some man kissing her hand. Whether it was an innocent gesture or not, they would never see it that way.

Edward pulled up in the driveway, tentative. He just knew Jasper was going to do something stupid.

He was right.

As soon as Edward switched the gear into park, Jasper flew out of the car and flung Bella's door open. It took him less than four seconds. He moved so fast that Bella hardly had time to blink as he unbuckled her seatbelt and tugged her out.

"Jasper!" Bella tried to pull herself from his grasp, but Jasper wasn't about to let go. He loosened his hold slightly, not wanting to hurt her. "Let go, Jasper." She ordered.

Edward and Emmett rushed over. Emmett seemed to have snapped out of his daze.

"Jasper, man, stop." He put his hand on Jasper's arm, but Jasper shook it off.

"Jasper, let her go." Edward said.

Jasper closed his eyes, looking pained. "God, I'm not doing anything wrong! I'm just touching her!" He fought Bella's half-hearted resistance and hugged her tightly to his chest. "I am allowed to do that, right?"

"Man, let's go inside and just chill, okay?" Emmett pleaded. "We're getting all wet out here."

Jasper hadn't taken much notice of the rain. Now he did, and it did nothing to improve his mood.

Edward groaned, frustrated, and jabbed the key into the front door. Jasper stormed in with Bella, and then Emmett trudged in, appearing miserable. He followed closely behind Jasper and Bella, wondering what Jasper was going to do. They were all on edge, expecting him to go over the line. If he started yelling at Bella, they were going to lock him in the basement (they had discussed it months before, and the three of them agreed that it was a good temporary solution).

But Jasper wasn't yelling. He marched Bella into the kitchen, turned on the faucet, and proceeded to wash her tainted hand. He applied the hand soap and scrubbed at her skin gently, and when he was done, he dried it carefully with a towel, treating her hand like delicate glass.

Bella chuckled. Her heartbeat, which had carried on at an unhealthy tempo a minute earlier, had steadied, and she calmed. She wasn't sure if she should laugh at Jasper for being so incredibly silly, or soothe him because he had gotten too wound up for his own good.

"Jesus Jasper, is that all?" She placed her free hand on top his, stopping him.

Jasper frowned, not meeting her eyes. She could tell he was embarrassed. He was always ashamed of himself when he got like this. He had never quite mastered his temper, and it still proved challenging.

"I'm sorry if I scared you." Jasper muttered. "But I had to get it off." Had to get _him_ off.

Bella melted. She hugged him, letting him hide his face in her hair. "It's okay. I get it."

"I don't ever want to see him again." Jasper said.

Bella ignored the worrying sensation she got in her chest. "I doubt you'll have to. Besides, he's a nice man. There's no reason to feel threatened." _Even if he _does_ give me the chills_.

"Are you sure?" Jasper pulled back to assess her.

"Yes." She looked him straight in the eye, wanting him to know that she was telling the truth. She was, really. Professor Wesley was not a part of her life, or their lives. He wasn't anything.

Jasper accepted that answer. He had calmed down a lot in the last minute or two. He still looked like a sad puppy, though. She met Edward and Emmett's eyes. They both nodded, understanding what she wanted.

Bella took hold of Jasper's hand, squeezing it, and pulled him towards her. He got the message and followed her out of the kitchen and down the darkened hallway.

Bella backed into the bedroom, keeping him at a distance, and laid down on the bed, spreading herself out for him in offering.

Jasper whimpered, quickly covering her body with his own and attacking her lips.

"Oh god, Bella, I love you!" He caressed the sides of her confined breasts, kneading them gently. Bella melted into the bed. She locked her arms around his neck as he took his fierce kisses down her throat. He let his hand wander down to the apex of her thighs. Bella mewled, thrusting her sex into his hand.

"Jasper…" Bella moaned.

Jasper pulled back. His eyes were alight with passion and lust when he looked at her. If Bella wasn't wet before, she definitely was now. She could feel his erection between her thighs, rock hard and ready for her. He needed this, needed her.

"You're so fucking beautiful." Jasper touched the back of his hand to her cheek. "You've been driving me crazy all night in that dress." He said. Bella smiled. He told her that even when she was in sweatpants and a dirty old T-shirt. He always made her feel beautiful.

Jasper stared at her for a long moment, unmoving. "You are mine, right?"

Bella nodded, rubbing her core against his hardness. "And you're mine."

"Always." Jasper was done being tender then. He buried his face in her cleavage, nipping, licking, and sucking at her pale flesh and teasing her already hardened nipples. He peeled off her dress, but unlike every other time, he was careful not to tear it or throw it across the room. Instead, he set it down, folded, on the other side of the bed, quickly forgetting it as he hastily rid Bella of her bra and panties.

He slid into her with a groan, his blue eyes locked onto hers. "I love you." He thrust into her harder, clenching his teeth but desperate not to let his gaze leave her face. His heart was beating frantically in his chest. He thought about Bella in her blue dress; he thought about Professor Douchebag sliming her hand and watching her adoringly; he thought about how soft Bella was beneath him and how he never wanted to stop making love to her. He thought about how distant she was sometimes, and how scared he was of losing her. He was scared all the time. He thought about running away to a remote island, just the four of them. Just them and the sun and the ocean.

"Jasper!" Jasper shook himself of his wandering thoughts and refocused on his reason for breathing. Bella was arching her back, her head going from side to side, her fingernails digging lightly into his shoulder blades. Her eyes were screwed shut. Jasper wanted to pry them open, to look her straight in the eye as she came, but he settled for simply staring at her. He pinched her clit, sending her into a frantic orgasm and setting himself off in the process.

He rolled onto his back, tucking Bella into his chest as they caught their breaths.

Bella looked up at him. "Feeling better now?"

Jasper shook his head. Bella repressed the urge to groan.

"Why not?" She asked, her voice husky and tired.

Jasper didn't have a good answer. "I don't know. I don't feel good…or reassured."

That hit Bella in the gut. She had worried herself over Jasper's sensitive emotions before, but he seemed truly vulnerable in that moment. Did _she_ do that? No, not really. Jasper made _himself_ sick by worrying over nothing, which he was doing right now. Bella wanted nothing more than to help him. It cut her up when he was unhappy.

"Is this about tonight?" She whispered. Saying it too loud might make _him_ appear, she thought, or cause Jasper to go rabid again.

Against Jasper's will, tears began forming in his eyes. He hoped they didn't fall, and he more than hoped that Bella didn't see, but of course she did.

"Oh honey…" Bella cuddled closer to him. "What is it?"

Jasper wiped away a tear as it trailed down his cheek. "I can't stand it when other men touch you." But that wasn't even the gist of it. It wasn't even the beginning. "I'm so afraid of losing you, Bella."

"But why? I'm never going to leave you." Bella was adamant.

"I can't help thinking it's too good to be true. Every time I do something wrong I think, 'this is it. She's done with you'."

Bella gasped. "That would never happen! None of us are perfect, Jasper, and everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I couldn't live without you and you've never done anything to make me want to leave. And don't you think I have insecurities, too? Don't you think I worry that you'll get sick of me one day?"

Jasper wanted to throw up at that. "That's impossible!"

"Ditto." Bella fired back.

Jasper took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. She didn't honestly think they'd get sick of her, did she? She used to think that, he knew, but he thought that was a dead idea. It certainly should be. They were incapable of even _wanting_ to leave her, much less actually doing it.

Jasper rubbed her back as he spoke, finding comfort in her smooth, pale skin. "I can't help but fear being without you. You're my life. And I hate that I can't tell the world about us. They wouldn't understand. I don't even care about that, to be honest. I wish it didn't matter what other people might say about us, but I know it does, at least a little, and I don't want anyone bothering you about it. We don't live in the most accepting world."

Bella laid her chin on his chest. "I know. But Jasper, as long as we're together, it doesn't matter whether or not anyone else knows. They have nothing to do with us."

"Are you sure?"

Bella frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jasper took a shaky breath. "I mean…that teacher of yours…has he ever…?"

"No!" Bella didn't like that suggestion at all. "Jasper, you can't let yourself feel threatened by other men. Even if some of them do have their eye on me, it doesn't really matter. That's just the way it is. But nothing will ever come of it."

Jasper tightened his hold on her. "You're right. I let my paranoia get the better of me sometimes. But if…if you ever do want someone else, just tell me, okay?"

Bella could hardly believe her ears. If Bella ever wanted someone else, which was highly unlikely, Jasper would go berserk. He wouldn't simply let her go off and be with another man; he would kill the guy and lock her up in a dungeon. Or something dungeon-like.

"If I ever want someone else? Don't make me laugh." She kissed his chest. "That's one of the most ridiculous things I've heard in a long time."

Jasper chuckled, but didn't really feel like laughing. "It could happen."

"Would you shut up about it?" Bella was getting profusely annoyed with him. "Stop trying to rile yourself up."

"Sorry." But Jasper wasn't altogether done. "So that professor _hasn't_ tried anything with you, has he?"

_Jesus Christ! _

Bella was about to blow a gasket. She felt Jasper's hands grasp her backside, but it wasn't meant to be erotic. He was tense. It wasn't a light question.

"No, he hasn't. Once again, you're reading too much into things. What do I have to do to convince you?" She smirked. "This?" She wrapped her hand around his semi-hard cock.

Jasper hissed, cupping her ass firmly in his hands and bucking into her warm palm. "Mm…well, if you insist."

Bella pumped him until he was hard again, straddling his waist.

"I think I can convince you." She said, sinking herself onto his cock.

* * *

><p>Edward and Emmett sat on the couch for a long time. Every few minutes, one or both of them would stand up, stride over to the bedroom, and press their ear against the door. It wasn't that they were particularly keen to hear Jasper and Bella have sex, they were simply anxious. They needed to be near Bella, too, to be in some way assured that everything was all right. Both felt unsettled. They knew their nerves wouldn't settle until Bella was with them. They'd have to wait for her and Jasper to, ahem, finish before going into the bedroom.<p>

Edward walked into the living room after checking on them again. They were still going at it. He sat on the couch next to Emmett, who had a videogame on. He wordlessly handed Edward a controller and activated the game.

After several minutes, he finally spoke. "Everything okay?"

"Yes."

Emmett bobbed his head, distracted. "I've been thinking… I need therapy."

Edward gave him a long sideways glance. "Um, really?"

"Yeah. I'm clinically insane. So is Jasper. Maybe you are, too."

Edward was trying to gauge how serious Emmett was being. As far as he could discern, he was being quite serious.

"What led you to that conclusion?"

Emmett took a drink from his glass of water. "You know that guy in the restaurant?"

"Yes."

"Well I wanted to beat the crap of him. Then I realized how crazy that sounded, how crazy_ I _sounded. So I thought therapy might make me less…jealous."

Edward considered. "It's normal to be jealous, Em."

"I've been jealous before." Emmett said. "In the beginning, I was jealous of you and Jazz, but I was never jealous of other men, and I didn't think we had to worry about anyone else, either."

Edward's ears perked up. "But you do this time?"

Emmett sighed. "I don't know. That guy just pissed me off. I realize he's not a real threat, but I started feeling like a caveman, or like George of the Jungle. I wanted to swing Bella around on a rope and get her away from Professor Douchebag and have crazy jungle sex up in a tree."

"I'm not sure that's what George and Jane did." Edward said.

"Whatever. The point is, it felt horrible. I guess I wasn't completely aware of what a possessive jerk I could be."

"You've always been a possessive jerk."

"No I haven't."

"Yes, you have. We're all like that to some degree. Might as well admit it." Edward paused the game and took off his suit jacket. "Let's talk about something else." He didn't like discussing other men, it made him profoundly uncomfortable.

"I don't know what to talk about." Emmett glared at the TV, searching for inspiration. "No, wait, I do. There's a concert I want to go to in a couple of weeks." Emmett immediately brightened when he remembered. It had been a long time since he attended a concert.

"Yeah, who's the band?"

"Mister Riot."

Edward pursed his lips. "Never heard of them."

"Heard of who?" Edward and Emmett jolted. The couch dipped on Edward's right. He smiled, hugging Bella with one arm. She was wrapped in a sheet and nothing else, and her hair was mussed. So sexy…

"Hey love. Everything okay now?" Edward pressed his lips to her temple.

Bella yawned, nodding. "We're fine. I wish he wouldn't overreact so much, though." She leaned her head on Edward's shoulder. "But I managed to wear him out. He's sleeping now."

"Good. Are you tired? Want something to drink?"

"No thanks. I'll just sit here with you guys for a while. What were you talking about?"

Emmett grinned. "We're going to a concert in two weeks."

"Cool." Bella yawned again.

"Maybe you should go to bed." Edward rubbed her arm.

"No, it's early. Only 9:00. I'll stay up for another hour." Bella brought her knees up and hugged her legs, watching the TV screen expectantly. "You can keep playing," she said when they didn't do anything. They were just watching her.

Emmett shrugged, and Edward unpaused the game, wanting nothing more than to have some snuggly time with her. Bella settled back into the couch, closing her eyes. She almost fell asleep, and would have had it not been for the phone ringing. It jolted all three of them.

"I'll get it," Bella said. She picked up the phone, half expecting it to be Esme (who else would call this late?), but it wasn't.

Bella looked at Emmett, wishing he had answered instead. He was so much wittier than she was. She was too tired to even try to be clever. "No, I'm not interested in a new vacuum."

Emmett snorted, holding his hand out to take the phone from Bella. Bella gladly gave it to him.

Emmett's eyes went big, his face lecherous as he got into character. "Do you like anal?" He asked in a deep, breathy voice.

It did the trick. The telemarketer hung up.

"I am amazing." Emmett gloated, handing the phone back to Bella.

"What if he said he_ did_ like anal? What would you have done, then?" She challenged him.

Emmett scrunched his nose up. "I wasn't really thinking about that."

Edward patted him on the back. "I'm sure you'll get over it in due time."

"Why do they call so late?" Bella wrapped the sheet more closely to her body. "Maybe we should axe the phone line and just use our cell phones."

"If it keeps up like this, we might." Edward agreed. "You look exhausted, love…"

"I'm fine." Bella insisted.

He grinned. "If you say so…"

Bella snuggled back into the couch as Edward and Emmett continued playing. A few minutes later she was asleep.

"I'll take her to bed." Emmett whispered, gathering her up in his arms. He slipped her into bed next to a sleeping Jasper. He removed the sheet she was wearing, letting his eyes linger on her naked body for only a moment before covering her up. He had the worst urge to touch her, though. Anywhere.

_Don't wake her up!_

Her neck was exposed to him, prompting Emmett to quickly touch his lips to her pulse point. She shivered at the contact, but thankfully didn't wake up. Instead she cuddled up next to Jasper. Emmett was tempted to get his camera and snap a picture of them. He'd done it before, but they usually woke up and were not too happy with having a camera shoved in their faces. They were so cute like this, though. Jasper didn't look like such a jackass when he was sleeping.

_Hmm…maybe I should start dropping sedatives into his drinks_.

* * *

><p>"How much time do we have?" Emmett asked.<p>

Jasper checked his watch. "Two hours."

"See, Edward? No reason to fret. We have plenty of time."

Edward scowled. "Two hours is hardly any time. You should have gotten this done last night."

"There's no rush."

"But they're leaving in two hours. I want to be there to see them off." Today was the day they started house sitting at their parents' house. Edward had already packed his belongings the day before. He was the only one.

Emmett had his bag set on the bed. He shoved wads of clothes into each one. He wasn't in the least concerned about being packed in time. After all, they were only about fifteen minutes away, and they'd be coming home often enough. It wasn't like they were leaving their precious house standing empty for two whole weeks.

"One of us will have to check the mail every day." Emmett reminded them.

Jasper heaved his suitcase onto the bed. "This is true. We'll be checking back in almost every day, so it's really not a big deal if we forget something."

"I know that," Edward said, "But I want to have everything we need there. I'd rather not have to rush off home in the middle of the night."

"I don't think we'll be missing anything that important." Jasper said.

Edward sighed. "You're probably right, but I want to be prepared." He rolled out a spare suitcase from the closet for Bella and started filling it with her clothes. Bella had gone to secure the windows and some of the doors. They told her they would do it, but she didn't listen. She didn't like packing, so she delayed it. Edward didn't mind at all, however. No, he enjoyed it.

He took out the majority of her underwear and a few bras (he doubted she'd be wearing much of either during their stay). He packed all of her clothes neatly before going into the bathroom to grab her toiletries and hairbrush. She could choose what else she wanted (books and music, etc.).

Jasper picked up a pair of her lace panties and held it up to his face. He did that often, usually in private. He didn't want Bella to see. She already knew he was depraved, but he still felt like a pervert when he sniffed her panties. But he, Edward, and Emmett did it all the time.

"We're going to need the lube." Emmett mumbled to himself. He had easily finished packing the clothes he needed, and now he was on to more important things. "And the vibrator…" He pinched his chin in thought. "Do you think we'll need the anal beads?" He asked Jasper.

Jasper still had Bella's panties fisted in his hand. "Might as well bring it." He sighed, putting the garment back in its place. He should really get started on his own things, he thought. He hadn't seen Bella in about fifteen minutes, though, which was odd since she was in the house. He decided to go look for her. She should be done by now.

He passed Edward on his way out of the bedroom. "Have you seen Bella?"

"No." He noticed that the basement door was ajar. "Ah, basement. There's not much to lock up down there, though." He followed Jasper down the stairs. The basement wasn't huge, but it was spacious enough. Bella was easy to find. She was standing by Emmett's old bed, looking up at the tiny window.

"What are you doing?" Edward came up behind her, startling her.

"Oh!" Bella jumped. "I was seeing what needed to be done down here."

"There isn't much." Jasper said.

Bella frowned. "You don't think anyone could get through that window, do you?"

Jasper laughed. "Not unless they were really, really small. Why? You're not worried about it, are you?"

Bella shrugged. "No, I was just wondering. It's kind of creepy down here, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess." Edward agreed. "Come on, let's go up. I'm almost finished packing your things."

"You didn't have to do that." Bella hoped he didn't just pack her lingerie and nothing else. Actually, that was something Emmett would do, not Edward.

"I wanted to. There's not that much, anyway. And you can always borrow our clothes."

"Mm, I probably will." Bella took one of his and Jasper's hands. "I guess we should hurry if we want to be on time."

Edward smirked at Jasper. "Yes, Bella, I completely agree."

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's get a move on. I still have to pack all my shit."

* * *

><p>They arrived at their parents' house in the nick on time. Esme and Carlisle were waiting at the door for them, their cases already in the airport van that was picking them up.<p>

"Just in time!" Esme darted outside and gave each of them a quick kiss. "We only have a minute left, so I'll be quick."

Carlisle came out and hugged the four of them. He was much more relaxed than his wife.

"The fridge and freezer are fully stocked," Esme said, "and I bought more laundry detergent. The sheets are all clean…oh, and you can change the temperature anytime you want. It's a bit hot, so we have the air turned up. Trash pickup is on Thursday, and recycling is on Tuesday. Am I forgetting something?" She looked at Carlisle.

"Our numbers are on the fridge," Carlisle said, "as well as our timetable. That way you know what time we should be getting back in two weeks."

"Okay, dad." Edward gave them one last hug. "Don't worry about anything. We'll take care of the house and make sure no one breaks in." He laughed. The idea of someone scaling the gate was mildly humorous. The chances of someone successfully breaking in were slim, and they wouldn't get very far since there was an alarm system.

"I know you'll be fine, dear." Esme took a deep breath. She was hyper whenever they were going away. "We should get going, then. Our flight leaves in an hour and a half. Don't want to be late."

"Have fun, Esme." Bella hugged her goodbye.

"Oh, we will. And we'll bring back presents!" The driver in the van honked. "Well, bye my darlings!" She waved them off and ran to the waiting vehicle with Carlisle.

They watched them leave from the doorway.

"It's going to be weird living here again after so many years," Emmett mused. "I hope I don't hit puberty again. That would majorly suck."

"If you do, I'm not giving you the sex talk." Jasper warned.

"Let's get our things in," Edward suggested, "then I'll make us lunch."

They chose to stay in Jasper's old bedroom, seeing as it had more floor space than either Edward's or Emmett's.

"We'll deal with the mattresses later." Jasper said, setting his case on his childhood bed.

"Good idea. I'm too hungry to do any lifting." Emmett pouted. "Edward, make me a grilled cheese."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "Say please."

"Please."

"Fine. But don't bitch if you don't like it."

Emmett gaped at Bella. "It's happening! We're reverting back to our teens! This is horrible!"

Bella laughed. "I'd love to know what you three were like growing up. This could be an interesting two weeks."

"Nah, Jasper and Edward were moody pricks in their teens," Emmett confided, "and I was the nice, sane one, the one who they trampled on."

"Yeah right." Edward snorted. His cell phone rang just then. He looked around, confused because it wasn't in his pocket.

Bella saw it lying on the bed and picked it up. She only got to glance at it for a split second before Edward abruptly snatched it out of her hands. She was shocked by the action. He didn't want her to see who was calling.

"Um, I'll be right back." He said, and walked out of the room. He looked guilty, and Bella knew why.

She only saw the name on the caller ID for a second, but she saw it long enough to be certain of one thing.

It was a woman.

**A/N** See you in October!


	8. Bite Your Tongue

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Twilight. I did, however, kidnap all of the actors and place them in a cage. That way I can poke them with a stick whenever I'm bored. Don't give me that look. You know you would do it too.

**A/N** I know, I'm late! Unsurprisingly, I managed to get behind on everything while getting writer's block and burn out, both of which I'm working on. I wish I was faster. Grr. I want to thank everyone for their patience. I hope you guys like this chapter. And please review! Your reviews keep me going! This chapter is a little shorter than I wanted, but I'd rather give you a short chapter than no chapter. The next one will be longer and hopefully juicier. Meow. Just gotta keep my mojo up…And your reviews will help with that (hint, hint).

Adore

Chapter 7 –Bite Your Tongue

It took Bella more than three minutes to come to her senses. She stood perfectly still, gaping at the empty doorway. For the next moment or two, she thought she was having a stroke, or a heart attack, or even an aneurysm. But it was just shock. And what a shock…

_He wouldn't do that to me_.

Edward hurried out into the hall and disappeared into another part of the house. She could no longer hear him desperately try to keep his voice low. She looked over at Emmett and Jasper, but neither seemed to find his behavior that suspicious. In fact, they didn't really seem to notice the whole snatching-the-phone-from-her-hand-like-a-lying-cheat incident.

Cheating. She couldn't get that idea out of her head. That had been her first thought when Edward reacted the way he did, when that _woman_ was calling him. It stuck in her brain now.

"Are you alright?" Jasper wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Should she tell him what she saw? No, it was an overreaction. Edward would never cheat…

_Then why was he _acting_ like a cheater, huh?_

Bella needed time to think about this. Think rationally. She didn't want to be one of those jealous girlfriends who had a fit whenever another woman talked to her boyfriend. It was probably innocent, she told herself. He wouldn't cheat. Ever.

But Edward was still off in another part of the house having his "private" talk with some whore skank bitch toad woman.

_Get a hold of yourself!_

"Bella? Darling, what's wrong?" Jasper was alarmed by the look on Bella's face as well as her continued silence. She was just staring at the door looking as if she might burst into tears. He moved to face her, taking her head in his hands and looking her straight in the eye. "What is it?"

Bella snapped out of it. She didn't want to say anything she'd regret. She was a firm believer in "innocent until proven guilty", which meant that Edward was innocent. There _had_ to be a reasonable explanation for his behavior.

"Sorry, I just zoned out for a minute." Bella snuggled closer into Jasper's embrace, taking some comfort in his warmth. "Should we unpack now?"

Jasper shrugged. "Edward's gonna make lunch soon. We should get started, though. I think there are enough drawers in here for all of us. Not that is matters. It's more like storage for the clothes we _won't_ be wearing." He gently sucked the skin behind her ear, making her tingle.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She teased.

"Oh, don't you?" Jasper gave her ass a light slap. "I have wicked intentions concerning you, Miss. Mercury."

"Is that a promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Jasper nuzzled her neck.

"You think it'll be weird having sex in your parents' house?" Bella asked. She'd been thinking about that for awhile, which probably wasn't the best idea. But hey, it was better than thinking about what Edward might be doing behind her back.

_Stop thinking about it!_

"No, I think it'll be great. We get to have sex in our childhood home." Jasper grinded his growing hardness into her backside. "I used to have wet dreams in this room, now I get to make _you_ wet."

Emmett thumped him on the back with a flying t-shirt. "Not yet, dickweed. We don't have the beds ready, and I refuse to be left out."

Bella half-turned towards him, unwilling to part from Jasper. "I don't intend to leave anyone out, luva." She winked at him.

_Well, maybe leave out Edward…_

_Dammit! Why do you keep thinking about it?_

"Ooh, can we do it tonight?" Emmett asked, eager.

Bella had a sneaking suspicion that she wasn't going to be in the mood that night. "We'll see."

Emmett and Jasper appeared disappointed, but soon moved on, which was lucky for Bella, because she didn't want them to ask if anything was wrong. And currently, what was wrong was hiding somewhere in the house.

* * *

><p>It took Edward almost ten minutes to get off the phone. All the while, Bella was quietly seething, simultaneously unpacking her toiletries and unsuccessfully trying to keep her mind on other things.<p>

Edward acted as if nothing had happened. He went through the rest of the day oblivious to what he had done, as if he believed Bella hadn't seen anything or been hurt by his actions. He did appear to be a little guarded, however. Bella could tell. But other than that, he behaved the way he always did, which bothered her. A lot.

Lunch was awkward. Bella tried to behave normally, but she was horrible at it. She couldn't stop thinking about it, and she kept sneaking glances at Edward to assess his face. Did he have the face of a man who was cheating on his family? Did he have the guilt written on him, and the desperation to keep it a secret? Bella couldn't tell. But there was a perfectly good method for finding out.

"Who called?" She asked, hoping to sound casually interested, not prying.

"Oh, just a friend." He played it cool, didn't even flinch.

"Who?"

"A co-worker. He and I keep in touch sometimes…"

_He_. Was that a joke?

That hit Bella in the gut. He lied. And it was so effortless. He didn't have to think bout it, there was no hesitation, no stutter, no rapid blink of the eye. He just did it. Despite Edward lying with ease, Bella detected a slight air of discomfort. He looked guilty now. Maybe he knew she was probing him.

_So he must be cheating…_

Bella wanted to start yelling, to ask him what was going on and why would he hide anything from them? But something stopped her. Maybe it was because she was never 100% honest, either. No, she wasn't unfaithful or keeping any dark secrets, but she didn't tell them everything. She did it so as not to stir up unnecessary trouble. But she would never do anything to hurt them. It was unfathomable to believe that one of the men she loved more deeply than anything would do something to destroy a beautiful relationship. Which begged the question: was he just pretending to love her?

"Friend?" Emmett snorted. "What friend? You don't have any friends. None of us do."

"He's not a good friend…" Edward said, slowly, carefully, while picking at his food.

"Who is it?" Jasper pressed, not half as curious or concerned as Bella. She wondered how he could be so blind when he was otherwise attune to everything.

"You know, Jeff from work." Edward completed his lie with a name, the wrong name.

Jeff. That was certainly not the name displayed on Edward's cell phone, and unless he was having a gay love affair, he wouldn't have been so frantic to conceal the person's identity if it was just a friend.

Then it hit her.

The woman's name.

Bella finally remembered. She'd only gotten a glimpse, but now that she had (mostly) calmed down, she could recall the name: Bethany. He was cheating on her with a whore named Bethany. That name was now forever on her shit list.

"Jeff the school accountant?" Emmett furrowed his brow, confused. "I didn't know you two talked. He hides out in the back office all day long when he's there. I don't even remember the last time I saw him."

Edward shifted in his seat. "Yeah, we talked a few times. He is weird, I know. But he's nice." He laughed then, suddenly brightening up. "He wears a polka dot bow tie," he told Bella, turning to face her, amused. But Bella ignored him, her face stony as she glared at her untouched food. He noticed.

"You okay?" He touched her arm, and she felt sick, wondering who else he'd been touching.

"Yes, I'm just thinking about all the things we have to do today." Bella said.

"We don't have to do a whole lot. Moving the mattresses will be easy, and we don't need to unpack all of our stuff. I might even keep some of my things in my suitcase." Jasper said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Bella didn't honestly care about all of that. She wondered instead how long she could hold out until she confronted Edward.

Or, more to the point, how much longer until their relationship blew to smithereens.

"Why is this mattress so heavy?" Emmett lugged his old mattress down the hall, determined to prove his strength by doing it himself. Normally, it would have been a breeze, but for some reason it was a heavy son of a bitch. "Seriously, are there bricks in here?"

"Emmett, why don't you let me help you?" Jasper asked, a little peeved with his youngest brother for being so difficult.

"I can do it!"

"But it'll be easier with my help."

"You're skinnier than I am."

"I'm not a fucking stick figure, Em, I've got muscle." Jasper grabbed hold of the bed against Emmett's protests and helped him drag it into the room, Emmett groaning the whole way.

"Here Bella, you can take this end." Edward pointed to the bottom of his mattress. Helping Edward was the last thing she wanted to do, but she did it anyway and tried to hide her feelings. She looked incredibly miserable just being in the same room with him, though. He was bewildered. What had he done?

Bella kept her mouth shut, and did what he told her to, but she remained silent and unaffectionate at every turn. It took Edward some time to fully grasp this, however, and he certainly didn't fathom that he was the problem.

They dropped the mattress onto the floor next to Jasper's, then went to work righting the duvets and pillows. Edward couldn't help noticing Bella's distance. She prevented any likely skin contact between them, and she had a frown on her face the entire time. Maybe she was on her period? But wasn't her birth control stopping some of those? He couldn't remember the last time she had one. But that might be it…

"Bella, do you want to rest awhile?" Edward touched her hair, concern etched on his face.

Bella eyed him cautiously. What was he getting at? "No, I'm not tired. Are you?"

Edward smiled, flashing his crooked grin at her. "Not at all. I just thought you might not be feeling well."

_Ugh, don't push it, Edward. You are _this_ close to making me lose it_.

"I feel the same as I always do…" Bella frowned. That sounded stupid. _Happy_ was her normal emotion, not miserable.

"Are you on your period?" Edward finally made his suspicion known. Bella was not pleased.

"Is that what men always think when a woman isn't 100% happy? It must be that time of the month? Really? That's the best you can come up with? Are you that stupid?" Bella stood up, pissed. The three of them watched her storm out of the room, and a moment later they heard the bathroom door slam shut.

They gaped at the empty doorway. What was that?

"What got into her?" Emmett said, idling into the hallway and gazing at the door in which Bella was secluded behind.

Jasper turned his angry blue eyes on Edward. "That's not hard to figure out. You shouldn't have asked her if she was on her period," Jasper told Edward, stern, "she probably_ is_ on her period."

"It was a simple question. It's never bothered her before." Edward argued.

"Yes, but she's obviously been in a bad mood today. Couldn't you tell? You just made it worse." Jasper raised his voice, furious.

"I was trying to help her." Edward snapped. "She doesn't usually get angry like that. I didn't know she was going to react that way."

"Maybe if you'd been paying attention, you would have." Jasper hissed, getting in Edward's face.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Edward cried.

"I mean that you've been in la-la land all goddamn day. You've had this stupid-ass grin on your face all day and you've just been acting weird, and I don't just mean today. You were too preoccupied to see that Bella was upset."

Edward reddened. Jasper had caught him. He _had_ been a bit…preoccupied.

"I could see that something was wrong," Edward confessed, lowering his voice, "but I can't force it out of her. She gets like this sometimes…you know that."

"But this time it's your fault." Jasper pointed out.

Yes, despite what Bella had believed, Jasper was as keen as ever, although he had failed to pin down the exact cause of Bella's mood swing. But he suspected it was Edward's fault. And he was right.

Emmett intervened then, getting in between them before their voices carried over to Bella. It was their first day there, and they'd only been there a couple hours. They didn't need to start off their two weeks like this.

"Look," Emmett said, ever the sane one, "I agree that Bella does seem a bit off all of a sudden, but that's no reason to get into a bitch fight. Seriously, dudes, why are you fighting? This isn't the first time Bella has had a bad day, and I think we can all agree that she's had worse ones lately…not that we know why." He sighed, assessing exactly what he intended to say. "So, can we please not argue amongst each other and try to remain the awesome dudes that we are so that we can help Bella like the reliable, caring lovers that we are? That's the real issue, isn't it? Helping Bella? She hasn't been right for awhile, and I'm really fucking worried about her. Our focus needs to be on fixing that."

Jasper eyed his brother, impressed. "That was a quite a speech."

Emmett glared at him.

"No, no," Jasper said, "I'm serious. You're right. About everything. We need to focus on helping Bella." Emmett was right, Jasper knew, but he still thought that Edward was up to something, and he was sure that Bella's outburst today was due to him. It was making Jasper both furious and depressed. Why was it that everyone was keeping secrets all of a sudden? A few months ago they were perfect. Bella and Edward were normal, they weren't hiding anything, not that he knew of, and the four of them were happy. Why had that changed?

Emmett relaxed. "Right. I'm happy to know that you see the genius in my words. So you'll quit your assy fighting now?" He looked between Jasper and Edward.

They both agreed, though had yet to be entirely happy with each other.

"I guess we should leave her alone for a little while…" Edward said.

"Yeah…" Emmett really wanted to pound the door until the hinges broke (he could totally do it, he swore), but the intelligent thing to do was to wait it out and give Bella time. That's what good boyfriends did.

Of course that didn't last long.

* * *

><p>"Bella? Are you in there?" Edward knocked on the bathroom door. She'd been in there for the better part of an hour. He was worried sick. "Bella, please say something. I need to hear your voice."<p>

"Go away."

"I'm not going away until you tell me you're alright."

"I'm alright. Now go away."

Edward growled, frustrated. "That's not good enough. Love, please? Open the door." He jiggled the doorknob.

Bella wasn't budging. She was in the bathtub, soaking. The water had become chilly awhile back, but she didn't care. The longer she sat in there by herself, the angrier she got. Screw rational thinking. Why would Edward cheat on her? What was wrong with him? How long had it been going on?

She could see it now. The bitch was probably pregnant. That was the way it went, right? Whenever you hear about an affair, it's almost always accompanied with "and she's pregnant. With his child." People whispered about it, and it spread that _he_ has a _lovechild_ with _another woman_.

That's what was going to happen. So she wasn't going to come out of the bathroom just then. No, she wanted to save herself from that pain for a little while longer.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

Bella squeezed her eyes shut. "Edward, I don't want to talk to you right now." She kept the anger out of her voice. At this point, she was tired of thinking about it. She was still beyond pissed, but it was too much for one night. She'd rip into him another time.

And then it'd be over.

"Bella, _please_…" He begged her one last time.

"I said no!" That did it. Resigned, Edward gave the knob one last try before leaving her alone once again.

* * *

><p>Jasper, Emmett, and Edward sat at the dining room table a few hours later. There was a tense silence surrounding the whole house. Jasper had cooked dinner for four, but Bella was still refusing to come out of the bathroom. Jasper and Emmett both took turns trying to coax her out, get her to eat, talk, anything. They knew she had to be hungry, and they were willing to let her eat alone in the bathroom if that was what she really wanted. For tonight, anyway. They wouldn't be able to handle this a second night. It was torture.<p>

Unfortunately, Bella was being stubborn. She didn't eat or come out, so they let her have her way. It would have been a bit much to break down the door. She'd come out when she was ready…which hopefully would be sooner rather than later.

They ate dinner without her, but they barely ate anything. By nine that night they had had enough of sitting around and decided it was time for bed. Of course they didn't sleep, rather laid around waiting for Bella to come out of the bathroom, or make a sound, any indication that she was doing_ something_. It took some time. She was avoiding all of them, not just Edward. But before the clock struck ten, she unlocked the bathroom door and tip-toed out into the hallway. They heard her, but didn't move from their positions on the bed. She walked quietly past the bedroom door and crept towards the stairs.

She was heading to the kitchen, Jasper was willing to bet. He'd left her dinner in the over so that it might stay warm, and he left her a note on the counter so she'd know he'd made her something. He wanted to go down there and check on her, but he wasn't about to risk it. He'd let her come to them. He was simply relieved that she'd left the bathroom.

"Where do you think she'll sleep?" Emmett whispered in the dark room, breaking the silence for the first time in hours.

"Mom and dad's room, or the guest bedroom." Jasper said, unhappy. He wasn't going to sleep at all if Bella wasn't with him. Maybe they should kidnap her…

No, bad idea. She wouldn't appreciate that.

"How long does she think she can get away with avoiding us?" Emmett mused aloud.

"I don't know what she's thinking," Edward said, sounding as depressed as he was, "But she's not getting away with it for long."

"Here, here." Emmett agreed.

They didn't have to wait much longer. They thought she'd go to another room to sleep, but she didn't. She was just as loathed to be away from them for the night as they were.

Jasper, Edward, and Emmett watched her as she made her way into the darkened room, only hesitating at the door for a brief moment. She looked adorable as she shyly crawled in between Emmett and Jasper. It reminded them of when they first met; how she acted so cautious and insecure.

Jasper and Emmett each wrapped an arm around her, safely cocooning her, and she immediately relaxed. She was probably embarrassed, they thought, which they didn't want her to be. But they'd talk about it tomorrow.

Edward didn't sleep; couldn't. He faced away from his brothers and Bella, tears in his eyes. It was more obvious to him now that she had no desire to be close to him. He was excluded on purpose. She went straight for Emmett and Jasper without even looking at him. And it was all his fault. He knew that now. He'd screwed everything up with one mistake, an impulsive, idiotic decision. Bella knew, too. That's why she was hiding from them all fucking day. She'd seen the evidence.

God, he was a selfish bastard, and tomorrow he was going to have to confess everything to his family and face their justified wrath.

**A/N** All will be revealed next time! I'm evil, I know. Happy Halloween!

Review!


	9. Bethany Bowman

Disclaimer: I don't own this. The whole blackmailing SM into handing over the rights didn't work, so I am now typing this story from a jail cell. But don't pity me. I have a backup plan: Stephen King.

Adore

Chapter 9 –Bethany Bowman

"There's no jam."

Jasper looked up from his book. "Jam?"

Emmett heaved a sigh. He was standing in front of the fridge, assessing the contents with disappointment. "We have no jam. Or marshmallows. Or ice cream. Or white bread. I thought mom was going to get everything…"

Jasper bookmarked the page he was on and went over to him. "She eats healthier than we do, and there's other bread in there. Plus, you don't eat marshmallows."

"Dude, I put them in my cocoa." Emmett said. "I'm going to go shopping. There's no other option. We should rent some movies, too. As much as I'd love to have sex the whole two weeks, I don't think Bella will be up for that."

"I'll go with you," Jasper said. He was uncommonly bored at the moment due to the fact that Bella ad Edward were still asleep, and he didn't want to disrupt Bella, something he was guilty of doing on previous mornings.

Emmett was thinking along the same line. "Should we let them sleep?"

"Mm, yeah…" Jasper averted his eyes to the stairs. He considered waking them up, mostly because he wanted to give Bella her morning kiss, but it was better to let them be, he thought. After Bella's episode yesterday, he just wanted her to relax. Maybe he should get Edward up, though, or at least warn him that they were heading out for a short time. Then again…was it a good idea to leave him alone with her? He was part of the problem, wasn't he?

He addressed Emmett with the dilemma.

"They'll be fine. If Edward does anything, we'll kick his ass. I'd rather not leave Bella alone."

"I'm with you on that." Jasper agreed. "I don't think anything will happen. Let me tell Edward that we're leaving. I don't want them to wake up and wonder where we are."

* * *

><p>Edward opened his eyes at the persistent nudge of a hand. Jasper was knelt beside him, Emmett not too far away. "Emmett and I are heading out for a little while." He heard his oldest brother say.<p>

Edward was still foggy with sleep. "What? Where?"

"Grocery store and Blockbuster. We need to get some things. Anything you want?" Jasper flicked his eyes over to Bella, whose back was turned deliciously to him. He just wanted to lick his tongue up and down her spine –

"I can't think of anything." Edward rubbed his eyes, stretching his arms over his head. "How long will you be?"

"An hour maybe." Jasper stood up. "Are you going to be okay while we're gone?" He had such a serious, stern expression on his face that Edward knew for certain that Jasper wasn't asking if _he_ was going to be alright. He was asking if he was going to behave; was _Bella_ going to be alright. Jasper was aware that something was up. Of course he was. Jasper was too perceptive. So was Emmett. They were both giving him the evil eye. He was lucky they didn't voice their displeasure with him.

_They will soon enough…_

Once they found out what he had done…they'd go berserk. He'd be lucky to get away with his life. He was dreading it, but he couldn't say he didn't deserve it. They were going to find out sooner or later, and by the way Bella was acting, it was obviously going to be sooner.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Edward met Jasper's stony gaze, unwilling to look weak or insincere. Jasper appeared to accept his declaration, and a few minutes later he and Emmett were revving up the car and zooming out of the driveway.

Edward looked over at Bella's sleeping form. He craved to be close to her. How long had it been since he last touched her? Less than 24 hours. It felt like a week. He hadn't even gotten to give her a goodnight kiss. He felt awful, and rightfully so. It was his fault she was this way. He deserved it. How could he hurt her? He loved her! He swore never to cause her pain, and yet there she was locking herself in a bathroom for hours because he couldn't control his stupid, stupid, impulses.

He reached out one of his pale, long-fingered hands to graze her soft, smooth back. She was still asleep. It was impossible to resist touching her. Maybe she wouldn't be mad at him when she woke up…maybe she would understand…

Edward breathed a sigh of content as his arms encased her small frame and his chest met her back. He tangled their hands together at Bella's waist, and gave her shoulder a delicate kiss. He held her for several minutes, pretending that everything was alright between them.

"I love you, Bella." He uttered it without meaning to. He wasn't even aware that he'd spoken, but suddenly the soft, naked body in his arms was shifting, and Bella was awake.

* * *

><p>Bella opened her bleary eyes and smiled as she felt a pair of strong arms holding her. She tightened her grip on her lover's hands and brought his arms closer to her. Perfect. He was warm and safe.<p>

Edward grinned. He couldn't believe Bella didn't mind that he was holding her. Yesterday the mere sight of him repulsed her. Encouraged and excited, he placed his lips at the base of her neck. Bella moaned, squirming as he snaked one his hands slowly down her abdomen. When he met her pussy, he took Bella's sensitive little clit and pinched it between his middle and forefinger. He felt her wetness begin to spill forth as he sucked her neck and rubbed her clit.

"Do you like this?" He nipped at her earlobe, retracting his hand from her grip and massaging her peaked nipple.

Bella nodded furiously, rocking her pussy against Edward's hand. "More…"

Edward groaned. He was painfully hard now, and he ached to be inside her. "I want you."

He thought Bella wanted him too. She was pliant and wet for him; she made the most gorgeous sounds.

But then…

"Stop!" She bucked against him, slapping his hands lightly so he would release her, then she rolled away.

Edward sat up, stunned. "What's wrong?"

Bella quickly wrapped herself up in a sheet, shifting further away from him. Edward watched her with wide eyes. What had happened?

"Bella, talk to me." Edward pleaded.

She refused to meet his eye. "I don't want you to touch me right now." Her voice shook, he noted.

It was yesterday all over again. Somehow, for a few precious minutes, Edward had managed to convince himself that things were alright again, that she had forgiven him. Yes, he was stupid. Delusional? Check. But a man can dream.

Suddenly, Bella started walking out of the room, the white sheet grazing the hardwood floor. Edward darted after her. He was terrified that she'd lock herself away again. He was even more afraid of confessing what he had done, but he had to. There was no other option. He couldn't continue to hurt the woman he loved like this.

Edward caught her by the wrist, twirling her around to face him. "Where are you going?"

"Away from _you_." Bella bit out.

"No," Edward tightened his grip just enough to make sure she didn't run off. "We need to talk about this. _Now_. I've been putting it off for too long. I…I have to tell you. Although I'm guessing you already know." He swallowed the lump in his throat.

He wasn't expecting to see the horrified look in her eyes. She was petrified. It immediately sent a panic racing through him.

"Bella, what –"

"Don't say it. I don't want to hear it." Bella said, her lips quivering.

Edward frowned, releasing her wrist. "Bella, you have to know. I can't keep this from you forever, and hiding it has been eating away at me. You deserve better than to be lied to."

Bella shook her head, forcing the tears back. "So you admit you've been lying to me…"

Edward bowed his head, ashamed. "Yes…"

"I don't think I can bear to hear you say it out loud right now." Bella admitted. "I already know what it is, anyway. So don't even think about touching me ever again." A fat tear slipped out, but she swept out of the room before he could see.

He wasn't having that, though. He wasn't letting her go that easily. She needed to know everything, he needed to explain. She didn't understand yet…

"Bella, wait." He followed close behind her.

"Get away from me." Bella sped up, heading for the stairs.

"No. We're having this out right now." Edward said. "This can't go on any longer. Bella, please stop."

She didn't respond, just kept moving. He trailed her down the stairs and into the kitchen. He wasn't going to give up. He was determined to be unrelenting. He'd make sure she wouldn't hide in the bathroom (or any room) again. He'd follow her into the goddamn bathroom if need be. She'd have to listen to him then. That was all he wanted. He wanted to confess, and he wanted her to yell at him, like she should.

Bella spent a few uncomfortable minutes in the kitchen, Edward's green eyes glued to her the whole time. It was seriously pissing her off. Why couldn't he leave her alone and let her be miserable in peace? Why did he have to make it worse?

Bella got a glass of water from the tap, drinking it slowly. Edward had yet to take his eyes off her.

"Stop looking at me." She demanded, setting her glass on the counter. They stayed frozen in their positions, neither willing to bend to the other's will. But Bella got sick of that game fast, and decided to keep moving. She headed to the family room next. He barely let a foot stand between them.

"Bella, will you please stop walking away from me?" Edward tried again, to no avail.

She walked through the family room, then into the dining area, living room, music room, library, Carlisle's office, the laundry room, the foyer… They finally made it back to the stairs. Edward was getting tired of this dance.

"Bella, don't go up those stairs." Edward warned.

Bella snorted. What was he going to do? Lasso her?

"Bella, I'm warning you…"

Bella ignored him, placing her foot on the first step. But she underestimated her lover. Edward snatched a loose end of the sheet in his hand, pulling it gently so that Bella would be forced back into his arms.

"Edward!" Bella hissed. She managed to detach herself from the blasted sheet before he could capture her. She made a dash up the stairs, completely naked, but Edward was quick to react.

"Why are you being so fucking stubborn?" He cried out. This was already a lot harder than he anticipated.

"I said I don't want to talk about it right now!" Bella replied. She made it to the landing, but there wasn't enough time to get to the bathroom, or even their bedroom, so she headed for Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, which was conveniently close by. Edward was right behind her. She groaned, annoyed, and placed herself on the other side of the king size bed, separating herself from him as much as possible. Edward reigned in his frustration.

"Bella, we can't keep doing this." He said. "Please, just let me explain everything. Won't you let me do that? Then you can yell at me all you want."

"It's not that simple."

"Why?"

Bella's shoulders slumped. "The thing is…the sooner you tell me, the sooner we're over."

That sent a painful jolt through Edward. "You're leaving me?"

"I don't think I can stay with you after this." Bella crossed her arms over her chest. She met his startled gaze with sad eyes. "How can I make love with you after knowing where you've been? How can I even _look_ at you?"

"I…I knew it would upset you, and I knew you might not talk to me for a few days, but I didn't think it was so bad that you'd _leave_ me." Edward stepped forward, dying to hold her hand, to plead with her.

"Why did you do it?" Bella asked, the strength having left her. She wasn't going to fight anymore.

Edward closed his eyes. "I'm sure you already know the answer."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "No, I don't. Mind elaborating?" If he was going to turn this around and make her the villain in this, he was going to get a black eye.

Edward sat down on the edge of the bed facing her. "It was an impulse decision. I've been wanting to do it for the longest time, and one day I just couldn't take it anymore…so I did it."

A sob escaped Bella then. She slapped a hand over her mouth. It was hard to comprehend what he had just admitted to. He'd _been wanting_ to cheat on her for "the longest time"? She gaped at him, although it was difficult to look at his beautiful face when he had done something so ugly.

"Bella, please," Edward scooted to the other side of the bed, pained by her obvious distress. "I'm sorry, so sorry."

"That's not enough." Bella wiped the tears from her eyes, but they wouldn't stop flowing. Edward handed her the tissue box that was sitting on his parents' nightstand. She glared at him, whipping out a wad of tissues.

"What's her name?" She wanted to hear him say it. She didn't know why, but she did.

Edward looked confused for a moment, but then he seemed to get the question. "Oh, um, Bethany Bowman. I thought you already knew that." He reached out a hand to touch her, but Bella backed away.

"Right, because of your stupid phone."

Edward blushed, nodding.

"I can't believe you. How could you do that to me? To us? You ruined everything! Were you so miserable with me that you had to go to Bethany Fucking Bowman? And seriously, you slept with someone named _Bethany Bowman_? What's wrong with you?"

She waited for Edward to say something, to explain, perhaps even try to defend himself. He didn't. He just stared at her with a perplexed expression. His mouth was open like he didn't know what to say, and he didn't.

"Bella, what the hell are you talking about?"

"What?"

"What do you mean by 'you slept with someone named Bethany Bowman'?"

"I mean exactly that. What have we been talking about this whole time?" Bella threw a tissue in the trashcan, exasperated.

Edward stared at her long and hard in utter confusion. "Bella…I don't think we are talking about the same thing…"

"Of course we are." Bella said.

"No," Edward said slowly, "you seem to be under the impression that I slept with Bethany Bowman…"

"That's because you did!" Bella exclaimed.

Edward rose off the bed and strode over to her, trapping her against the wall. "You think I _cheated_ on you? Are you kidding me?"

"But you did…" Bella was now just as confused as he was.

"No I didn't. I would never do something so disgusting. I've never even looked at another woman in that way, not even before I met you. I didn't even _fantasize_ about anyone. How could you believe I would do that?"

"Because you did? I saw her name on your phone, and the way you reacted…what else could it mean?" Bella tried to push him away. He didn't budge.

"Bella, love, I admit that I've been hiding something from you, but not that. Never that. I'm not capable of being with another woman. I'm so sorry I made you think otherwise." He caressed her cheeks, damning himself for making the love of his life hurt like this, for causing her to doubt him.

Bella lifted her eyes to him. "So…y-you weren't sleeping with another woman?"

"Never." He swore.

"Then what is it? What are you hiding from me?" Was it worse than that? Bella couldn't imagine what betrayal could be worse. But the way he had apologized before made her believe it was bad. She was so relieved, though, that she was unable to prepare herself for another emotional plummet.

Edward kissed her forehead. "You might still hate me."

"Just tell me."

He wasn't as scared to tell her now, but he was still apprehensive. It was a big deal, after all. "I quit my job at Forks High."

He waited for Bella's reaction. He'd anticipated some yelling, some anger, but he got none of that.

"Really? When?" Was all she could manage. It wasn't what she was expecting to hear, not in the least.

"At the end of the school year. It was the last week of school." Edward told her.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I was afraid everyone would be upset." Edward said. "But that's not the only thing I did."

"What?"

"You know that Bethany Bowman?"

"Yes." Bella said through gritted teeth. Yeah, yeah, so they hadn't slept together, but she had already acquired an acute hatred for that woman, and it was rather hard seeing her in a good light now.

"Okay, this is the part you won't like. After I quit Forks High, I applied for another job…at Achilles University."

Bella was speechless. "You applied for a teaching position at my school?"

Edward nodded.

"And did you get it?"

Once again, Edward nodded. "I found out yesterday. Bethany Bowman was the one who interviewed me, and she called to tell me that I'd gotten the job. I'm now the primary music theory teacher at Achilles. Do you hate me?"

He was surprised to see a huge smile brighten up Bella's face.

"That's great!" She laughed, giddy with relief. "Why would I hate you? And why did you think I was going to be upset about it?"

"I know we cling to you too much sometimes, and I know we can be suffocating. I thought teaching at your school would be too much for you, like an invasion of your space. I won't blame you if you don't want me there." He'd thought about this for a long time, about why she would be upset with him, which was why he was so hesitant to tell her. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, and being separated for several hours every day killed him. That wasn't normal, was it? No, he wasn't normal, otherwise he wouldn't have rushed out and applied for a specific job for the sole purpose of being closer to her.

Bella, contrary to what he expected, was excited by his news. Or perhaps 'elated' was a better word. The smile had yet to leave her face.

"This means we can drive to school together, and have lunch together, and then come home together." Bella ticked off all of the pros of the situation.

Edward laughed. "Yes, we'll do all of those things. I can't wait." He felt a great weight lift from his shoulders.

"Are you starting this coming semester?" She asked, eager.

"Yes." Now Edward couldn't keep the grin off his face.

Bella had a thought suddenly. "Edward…why did you assume I knew what you were hiding? I couldn't possibly have known…"

"Ah," Edward was embarrassed now. That was a pretty ridiculous assumption to make, now that he thought about it. "I figured you'd seen Bethany's name on my phone, and I also figured that you knew who she was, seeing as she's fairly prominent at Achilles. She's not a teacher, though, so I shouldn't have assumed you'd know of her."

"Is she pretty?" Bella tried to play it as if she didn't care, but oh, she cared.

Edward chuckled. "She's in her sixties, and she's a grandmother with short white hair and deep wrinkles. She also happens to be very nice and in no way a threat to our relationship."

Bella averted her gaze to the floor. "Good…"

Edward placed his hands on her shoulders. "God Bella, you're amazing. You have no idea how happy you make me."

"It goes both ways." Bella whispered. "And you know, when a girl sees another woman's name on her man's caller ID, she always assumes he's having affair. Her first thought isn't going to be that it's innocent. I just thought you should know that."

"Point taken." Edward slid his hands down to her backside. Bella had been naked the whole time they were talking, but he only now was becoming aware of just _how _naked she was. Arousal began to trump every other feeling. He leaned down and captured her lips in a soft, slow kiss, cupping her ass in his hands.

Bella was more than happy to oblige. She was so happy that she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He was clad in boxers, nothing else; his erection poking at her pussy.

"I need to make love to you," Edward said, "right now."

Bella attacked his lips more fiercely. "Please, please, Edward. Right now."

He didn't waste his time. He laid Bella flat on her back and proceeded to make them both forget that they had ever fought.

* * *

><p>"I hope they're up now. Life is boring when Bella is sleeping and I'm not. And I can't watch her sleep, because she might think it's creepy." Emmett rolled down the passenger seat window, soon discovering how much more pleasant it was closed. He cranked up the ac.

"I'm more concerned about her mindset today. If she's not feeling better soon, we're going to have a serious talk with Edward. I want to know what he did to upset her." Jasper pulled up to the gate, pressing in the code and quickly driving in. They'd been gone a little over an hour. Emmett had a stack of movies in his lap and three grocery bags full of mostly unnecessary items.

"Right," Emmett said, "I'm thinking of taking Bella into the Jacuzzi today. That should cheer her up. She hasn't yet experienced the joys of Jacuzzi sex."

"She might not be up for that, Em…"

"Well, if she isn't, we can always have a movie marathon."

"That's your cure for everything: sex and movies."

"Tried and true, bro." Emmett hopped out of the car before Jasper even had a chance to turn off the engine.

When Emmett and Jasper entered the house, they weren't expecting to hear the noises that were coming from upstairs. It baffled Jasper especially. Edward and Bella wouldn't be having sex. She was mad at him; wouldn't touch him or anything. But no, those were the distinctive sounds of lovemaking he was hearing.

Then he saw a lone white bed sheet pooled at the bottom of the staircase.

Yes, they were having sex.

They ascended the stairs two steps at a time, expecting to find Edward and Bella in their bedroom, but when they reached the landing, they were set straight.

"Dude, they're totally doing it on mom and dad's bed!" Emmett watched as Bella rode Edward into oblivion. They were completely unaware that Jasper and Emmett were outside of the room. The door was wide open, and though the brothers were accustomed to watching each other have sex with Bella, this was somehow…different. Maybe it was because only the night before Bella had rejected Edward, or maybe it was because they were wildly fucking on their parents' bed. It was a taboo. Wasn't there a rule about not having sex in or on your parents' bed? There must be.

They played the voyeurs until Bella and Edward were finished. By then, Edward had flipped Bella underneath him and regained control.

"Whoa…" Emmett stepped into the room. Edward looked up to see him standing there. Disappointment flooded him. He wished they had more time alone. He wanted to hold Bella a little longer without any interruptions. Emmett and Jasper could tell he was unhappy to see them, but they had trouble caring.

"When did you guys get back?" Edward asked, sounding as casual as possible under the circumstances.

"A minute ago." Jasper replied. "So…how did this happen?"

"Um, it just kind of did," Edward explained, feeling like an idiot.

Jasper walked over and sat next to Bella, laying his hand on her hip. "You're happy today," he noted, surprised.

Bella grinned. "I am."

"Are you two okay now?" Emmett asked.

"Better than okay." Bella said. She turned towards Edward, sensing his apprehension. There was no need to tell them today, she thought. It could wait…

"Do either of you want to tell me what the hell was going on, then?" Jasper directed the question at Edward.

_Okay, maybe this _can't_ wait_, Bella thought. Edward seemed to be thinking the same thing.

He was going to have to tell them. Bella may not have been pissed, but you could bet that Emmett and Jasper would _not _be happy about his revelation. The new school year was merely weeks away. He had to tell them.

"Well…" Edward sat up, pulling the duvet over himself to conceal his nudity. Exposing his cock probably wasn't the best idea when he was going to tell them something they might want to punch him for. In fact, he should get dressed. Yes, that was what he would do.

"I need to get my clothes on. Then we'll talk."

He left Bella naked on the bed regretfully and left the room.

Emmett took a seat next to Jasper. "You do realize you just fucked Edward on mom and dad's bed, right?"

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh my god!"

Jasper laughed. "It's alright, darling. We'll wash everything. They'll never know."

"We weren't thinking." Bella blushed red.

"It's too bad we didn't come back earlier," Emmett said, "we could have joined in."

Bella shook her head, smiling. "Probably best that you didn't. We needed time to sort things through."

"What did he do?" Jasper was perfectly willing to pound Edward if need be.

"Nothing bad," Bella promised. "But you have to give me your word that you won't overreact."

That didn't sound good. "Do you think I will?"

"Yes. You always do. Don't deny it." Bella teased. "Please, don't get mad at Edward. No tantrums or throwing things. Okay?"

Jasper was dying to know what the big secret was now. Chances were it would be awful. At least to him. Still, he would try to keep his temper down to please Bella. 'Try' being the keyword.

"I promise."

"Good. I'll get dressed, too." Bella said. "I'd rather not be in my birthday suit for this."

"We don't mind, seriously." Emmett patted her ass as she stood up. He and Jasper followed her into their bedroom where Edward was currently sitting on one of the mattresses, nervously running his hands through his hair.

They waited until Bella was dressed to talk.

And then the shit hit the fan.

**A/N** I hope you enjoyed this chapter! P.S. Achilles University, as far as I know, doesn't exist, at least not around Forks. There are colleges around there and in Seattle, but I made my own up for convenience. I needed a university that was a short enough driving distance for Bella.

I hope you guys have a great weekend and a fantastic Thanksgiving! And I bet I know what a lot of you are going to see this weekend…;)

Please review!


	10. Choosing Sides

Disclaimer: Do I own this? No. Do you? No. There, we're even. I mean I do own Harry Potter, therefore I rule, but whatever.

**A/N** Thank you to everyone who favorited, alerted, and reviewed! I'm sorry I haven't been updating as frequently as I used to. I'm going to try and work on that. I've been having trouble getting it together, so to speak. But the next chapter should be up much sooner next time. Why? Because the next chapter will be more fun. ;)

I hope everyone had a great holiday! And have a fantastic New Years!

Adore

Chapter 9 – Choosing Sides

Bella often thought that Jasper (as much as she loved him) was slightly insane. Normal people didn't have as many temper tantrums as he did or blow a gasket at small things. Emmett was better. He was surprisingly calm about these matters, even though he was the most intimidating looking of the three. Emmett was the easiest going, but Edward was the one with the least bravado, at least in this instance. He could hold his own in certain situations, but when it came to facing his brothers, it was a different story.

"What did you do?" Jasper had waited patiently for a total of three minutes as Bella got dressed before demanding answers from Edward. It wasn't an easy three minutes. He'd spent it watching Bella, as usual. It wasn't the best idea to watch Bella get dressed, Jasper decided. She was on edge, nervous, the muscles in her back and shoulders tensed, but he still found her irresistible, and he wanted to lock his arms around her and keep her with him so she wouldn't run away. He couldn't get the idea out of his head that Edward was about to tell them that he and Bella were running off together.

It was completely irrational, not to mention unlikely. But it was still floating around in his perverse mind.

It was hard not to feel jealousy towards Edward when he walked in on him and Bella in bed. Jasper knew straight away that whatever problem he and Bella had had been mollified. Normally, Jasper would be over the moon about this. This time he had a dreadful feeling. Without thinking, he stepped towards Bella, pressing her into him. He felt her bare breasts crushed against his chest, and he smelled her hair. He needed to reassure himself, to have her in his arms, so he kept her locked in his embrace. Bella didn't react as negatively as he expected. She was amused, laughing lightly and hugging him back.

"I know what you're thinking." She whispered in his ear, teasing. "And I think you're crazy." She kissed his ear and laid her head back on his shoulder.

Jasper looked back at her, surprised. "You don't know what I'm thinking…"

"Oh, but I do. You're thinking something irrational and negative, like…I'm going to leave you and run away with someone else. Am I close?"

She didn't have to ask. The look on Jasper's face confirmed her suspicion.

_How did she know?_

"That's not what I'm thinking," Jasper looked away, not appearing as nonchalant as he intended. "Your psychic powers are failing, my dear."

"No, I don't think so. I'm right, as usual."

"Well aren't you a saucy thing…" Jasper twisted a lock of her hair around his forefinger. "You're, um, you're not, right?"

Bella lifted one amused brow. "Running away with another man? No. I'm not leaving you at all, you weird man. Now let me get dressed."

Jasper stuck his lower lip out, something he'd picked up from Emmett. "You could just _stay_ naked. I'll cover you."

"I totally agree." Emmett chimed in.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I'd prefer to be in a clothed state for this."

Bella slipped a t-shirt over her head and shimmied into a pair of jeans. Two sets of eyes were on her, but Emmett focused his attention on Edward.

Emmett had pulled out the desk chair and sat astride it, keeping silent but letting his brother know that he was not-so-patiently waiting nonetheless. "Is this something that's going to piss us off?"

Without hesitation, Edward replied, "Yes."

"Just get it over with." Jasper growled, pulling Bella back towards him.

"Jasper, don't get pissy." Bella warned. "You promised."

Jasper swallowed down his urge to yell at his younger brother. Bella was right, he had promised to behave, and he wasn't about to intentionally break that promise.

"Fine…" He pushed down his rising anger, and stepped towards Edward, who grew more and more apprehensive by the second. "What did you do?" He was tired of waiting.

"Right…" Edward looked to Bella for reassurance. She came over to him and sat on his lap. Jasper was immediately pissed all over again. He resisted yanking her away from him and caging her in his arms again.

"Spit it out." Emmett urged him, not angry, but not patient, either.

"The thing is," Edward said, "I quit work a few weeks back." He waited for their initial reactions. It wasn't a good idea to hit them with both revelations at the same time. Jasper might explode. Literally. Edward was half expecting it.

"You…quit? Really?" Emmett was in disbelief. Jasper didn't say anything. He comprehended what was said, but he was aware enough to know that that wasn't the real issue.

"Why did you quit, man?" Emmett asked. "And why didn't you tell us? You didn't even tell us that you were thinking about it. You could have, we would have supported you. God knows we all want to quit at some point."

Edward nodded. "I'm sorry. It wasn't something I planned. I simply went into school one day, and by lunch I had quit. There wasn't much thought put into it, if I'm being honest. I just did it. I was unhappy there, and I wanted more." He looked both his brothers in the eye. Emmett seemed to understand, to accept it, although it hadn't fully hit him yet. Jasper was unreadable. Whatever he was thinking, it wasn't good.

Bella rubbed Edward's back. He was still worried sick, but having her with him was more than enough comfort to get him through it.

"What else?" Jasper asked. Edward had expected that. Jasper was too smart.

"I applied for another job almost as soon as I quit Forks High." Edward told him, calmer now that he'd resigned himself to what might happen.

"Did you get it?" Jasper asked, wary.

"Yes…"

"Where?" It was Emmett who posed the dreaded question.

Edward glanced at Bella, but barely hesitated when he answered. "Achilles University."

Jasper and Emmett gaped at them. Edward detected some expected emotions: shock, fury, confusion. He knew he was in for a hailstorm of shit. Bella, ever so slightly, positioned herself in front of him protectively.

It was just a matter of time before Jasper exploded. If they had timed it, they'd have found that it took approximately 35 seconds for him to react. Emmett was quick to join in.

"You did WHAT?"

"Behind our backs?"

"How long were you planning this?"

"How the fuck did you get hired? It's _Achilles_!"

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to keep Bella all to yourself." Jasper fumed, accusing.

"I was gonna say that." Emmett said, frowning.

Now Edward was angry. "I just want to be closer to her, I'm not trying to take her away from you. Don't be ridiculous! You know you'd take the same opportunity if you had the chance."

"Yes, but I wouldn't do it behind everyone's backs!" Jasper hissed.

"I didn't plan it!"

"Yeah right."

"Everyone needs to calm down." Bella said.

"I'm not sure that's possible right now…" Jasper responded. He fixed her with a hard stare then. "Did you put him up to it? Did you know what he was doing the whole time?"

Oh, so now he was accusing _her_.

"Of course not." Bella thought it was obvious. How could she have known? "I only found out this morning."

Jasper looked as if he didn't know what to believe.

Bella was incredulous. "You don't believe me?"

"_I _believe you." Emmett reassured her, joining her and Edward.

Bella softened at that. "Thanks."

Jasper sighed. "I believe you, too."

Emmett addressed Edward then. "I do kind of want to flick you or something. You should have told us sooner."

"I'm sorry…" Edward was sincere, but it wasn't good enough for Jasper. He kept his mouth shut, for Bella's sake, but he had no intention of speaking to Edward. Not a word. He gave his younger brother one last withering glance before flying out of the room.

* * *

><p>Edward didn't mind letting Jasper cool off for a few hours, even a day. If he ignored him, fine. He deserved it. But Jasper's determined silence and cold shoulder were getting to be excessive. Jasper refused to eat in the same room with him during dinner. Whenever Edward entered a room, Jasper left it. And that night, when it was time to go to bed, Jasper went into the guest bedroom and closed the door.<p>

It was the same story the night after, too. He didn't utter a word or eat with anyone, just wallowed upstairs by himself.

He wasn't even speaking to Bella much. She assumed he was mad at her as well.

Emmet stayed in their room, of course. Bella was currently getting brushing her teeth in the bathroom. Edward looked over at Emmett.

Emmett was still somewhat miffed, truth be told, but he put in a great deal of effort to pretend that he wasn't. It was obvious. He was avoiding eye contact, and he wasn't his usual chatty self. Edward felt terrible. If only he hadn't made such an impulsive decision. But…it was for the best, in the end. Yes, this was bad. He never wanted to give his brothers a reason to hate him, to be angry with him, but he couldn't lie; he was thrilled that he was going to be working in the same building that Bella went to every day. She had said they would drive to and from school together, have lunch together. That sent butterflies aflutter in his stomach.

And then Jasper slammed the bedroom door, and it was ruined. He stormed in, making sure to throw Edward the evil eye once or twice, grabbed some of his clothes from his suitcase, and stormed back out just as quickly.

It was the first time he'd entered the room since the day before. That was a good sign, right?

* * *

><p>Bella had just finished washing her face when Jasper swung open the door, which surprised her, because she could have sworn she locked it. It was amazing how often that happened.<p>

"Jasper, I might have been on the toilet." Bella said, embarrassed since she _had _just been on the toilet a few minutes earlier.

"Sorry." Jasper leaned against the doorway. "You look cute on the toilet, so don't worry."

Bella cringed. He had walked in on her when she was peeing once, months ago. Her mortification had lasted almost a month, but Jasper thought it was "adorable". What a freak.

"So you're talking to me again, I see." Bella said.

Jasper paled. "I'm sorry I gave you the cold shoulder. I just though it was best if I didn't talk to you. I didn't want to risk going off on you. Not that I'm mad at you, but…you know how I am."

"Right. Well, thanks. I'm always happy to avoid getting yelled at." Bella dried her hands off, refusing to meet his eyes.

Jasper inched forward. "Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"No you're not. What can I do?"

"Nothing, just…stop being an ass." Bella glanced at him.

"I'll try." Jasper smiled, hoping to make her smile in return. It half worked. She smiled, but barely.

"Well, I'm almost done." Bella told him. "If you want to use it…."

"No, I used the other one." Jasper was cradling a pile of clothes in his arms, Bella noticed.

"So, you're sleeping in the guest bedroom again?"

"Yes. Where are you sleeping?"

Bella had guessed that he'd do this at some point. Make her choose. She refused to make Edward and Emmett the bad guys.

"I'm sleeping in our bedroom." He didn't look at all happy about that, but he expected it.

"Can I change your mind?" He asked.

Bella grabbed her hairbrush and started running it through her hair. "I'm sorry Jasper, but no."

He was visibly displeased. Bella easily could have caved, but she held fast. "You could just sleep with us. You can go back to ignoring Edward in the morning."

"No. I don't want to sleep anywhere near him." Jasper was firm.

"Fine, suit yourself." Hey, if he needed some time to himself, so be it. She was the same way. Hell, two nights ago she'd been as big of an ass as he was being now, only moreso. "You know, Jasper, we have more in common than I realized."

Jasper's eyes lit up in curiosity and hope. "Oh yeah? How do you mean?"

"We're both blockheads."

Jasper laughed. "You may be right about that to a degree. But trust me, I'm more of a blockhead than you are. I've committed more blockheaded offenses than you have."

"I'm not sure about that…I can be pretty awful." It was true. She was. More often than she cared to admit.

Jasper walked up next to her, nuzzling her hair. "Oh, you _are_ awful. So awful. Like moldy cheese and smelly socks combined with leprosy."

Bella quirked an eyebrow, and met his eyes in the mirror. "Hey, take back that smelly socks comment. That really hurts."

Jasper smiled, hugging her. "If you stay with me tonight, I'll lick your pussy… All. Night. Long." He kissed her neck. "And I'll suck on your clit until all of the neighbors wake up."

_Ugh! Stop tempting me!_

"Jasper, not now." But Bella didn't try to physically stop him. Damn, that felt good.

"Why not?" He smirked, continuing his attack.

"I need to go to bed." Bella replied weakly.

"Oh, I'll take you to bed." Jasper promised, grinding into her backside. "Stay with me?"

_Yes!_ One part of her brain screamed. The other half wanted to get back to Edward and Emmett as soon as possible. Being with Jasper right now almost felt like a betrayal, which made no sense whatsoever. Being with Emmett and Edward, Edward especially, felt like a betrayal, too. Well, it was obvious: it was impossible to make two opposing sides happy during conflict.

"I…oh jesus…I think we should stop." Bella choked out the words. Jasper's hand was rubbing her pussy. He was not making her denial easy.

"Why the hell would we do that?" Jasper teased, slipping his hand into her boxers.

"Just, um, you know, conflict." Bella squeaked as Jasper pinched her clit.

"Conflict?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Stay with me tonight. They'll live." Jasper slipped her boxers down her hips, letting them fall at her feet.

Bella sighed, too absorbed in what he was doing to care anymore. "Hmmkay."

"That's my girl." Jasper turned her around and immediately melded their lips together. Bella kicked off her boxers and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her shirt was off in seconds, followed by Jasper's. Their heated embrace didn't last long, however.

Emmett and Edward were standing in the doorway.

"Fuck!" Jasper released Bella, directing his fiery gaze at his brothers. "Get the fuck out. Can't you see we're busy?"

Emmett shuffled uncomfortably. "Can we join?" He sounded uncertain, given Jasper's attitude, and he had every right to be.

"No!"

"Jasper, don't get mad." Bella begged.

"If they fucking leave, I won't." Jasper challenged his brothers.

"We just came to see if Bella was coming to bed…" Edward said, uncomfortable.

"Well she's staying with me tonight." Jasper spat. "So go away."

Edward and Emmett didn't like that one bit. "Bella, where do you want to stay?" Edward asked her.

Bella wanted to scream. They were all watching her expectantly. Did she _have_ to choose a side? Couldn't she sleep on a couch or something?

"Maybe I'll just sleep by myself." As difficult as it was going to be to sleep away from her boys, it was probably the best idea. That way she didn't have to choose one over the other and hurt someone's feelings.

"What?" Jasper was more surprised than angry.

"Baby, you don't have to do that." Emmett said. "You can stay with Jasper." He knew what she was doing. He'd let her sleep with Jasper if it made things simpler. He wouldn't like it, but he understood.

"No, I want to." Bella insisted.

Jasper frowned. "So you're not sleeping with me?"

Bella shook her head.

"Right." She looked into his pissed off face once more before he left the room. A moment later they heard the guest bedroom door slam shut.

Unwillingly, tears came to her eyes.

"Oh love," Edward came forward, bending down to retrieve her boxers. She was completely naked, which always seemed to be the case in these situations. Edward lifted her right leg, then her left, and slid them back up. She didn't want the shirt back on.

"You're not really going to sleep away from us tonight, are you?" Edward was ready to get down on his knee and plead with her if need be.

"I don't want to make it worse..." Bella explained, reluctant to make any decision. "Maybe I should stay with him. It might improve his mood tomorrow."

Edward deflated. "Okay. You're right. Just yell if he gets to be too much. You can always change your mind."

Bella chuckled. "Edward, it's not a life-changing event. It's a sleeping arrangement."

"Still…" Edward laughed.

"Alright, that settles it." Emmett said. "Bella will sleep with Jasper, and I'll cuddle her pillow all night. Edward, you can take her shirt. That should help us get through until morning."

"You're just weird." Bella went on tip-toe and kissed him goodnight, then Edward. "Thanks for understanding."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy." Emmett said. "Quite hard, actually, so I expect to be reimbursed."

Bella went out into the hallway and took off her boxers. "Emmett, catch." She threw them at his face. He didn't catch it in time. Bella giggled. "Cuddle _that_."

Emmett winked. "I will, baby, don't worry."

The light was off when Bella crept over to the door. Jasper was awake, no doubt, steaming quietly in the dark. She cracked open the door, the dim light from the hall casting her shadow across the room. Jasper turned over in bed, sitting up. "Bella?"

She closed the door and walked over to the bed, pulling the covers up and sliding in.

Although it was pitch black, she could tell that Jasper was watching her.

"Oh darling…" Jasper grabbed her around the waist and started kissing her.

"You really are a stubborn ass," Bella said. "Now, shall we begin where we left off?"

Jasper grinned, getting to work as soon as the words left her lips. He made his way to her pussy, finding that she was still wet from earlier. He made her cum with his mouth first, and when he couldn't take it anymore, he entered her, taking her slow and gentle.

He tried not to think of Edward or his own insecurities afterwards. Bella was lying in bed next to him, asleep. Everything was alright. Perhaps he made too big a deal about Edward's new job. He trusted him, and he trusted Bella, but that never stopped his stupid paranoia. That was no excuse, though. He'd apologize to Edward tomorrow. It still left him slightly pissed off that he'd done it behind their backs, but he was able to see it from Edward's point of view. Mostly, he was just jealous, and that was not an easy emotion to conquer.

But he'd try making things right, maybe even himself. Hell, maybe he should go to therapy, too. He hated the idea, but if it worked for Bella, it might work for him. Was there a cure for jealousy and paranoia, though?

Jasper pulled Bella closer and settled into sleep, pushing away his thoughts for a few hours.

* * *

><p>It was hard to tell who woke up first. It was 3am when Jasper, Edward, Emmett, and Bella were startled awake by the frantic, eardrum-busting house alarm.<p>

"Stay here and lock the door behind me." Jasper told Bella before dashing out of the room. Edward and Emmett were already at the top of the stairs, peering down.

"Did someone break in?" Jasper asked, pulling on his shirt.

"I can't tell." Edward replied, out of breath from the initial panic.

"We should check it out. If some motherfucker is stealing mom and dad's stuff, I'll kick their ass." Emmett cracked his knuckles.

"Where's Bella?" Edward looked behind Jasper, expecting to see her.

"Bedroom. I told her to lock the door." Jasper said. "Fuck, I hope this is a false alarm."

"Well, let's see for ourselves." Emmett said, and began descending the stairs.

**A/N** Review!


	11. Prowl

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. There, lawyers, are you happy now?

**A/N** *sad face* I know, I'm terrible. Luckily, I'm in the final edits with my poetry book (boring? Perhaps :P), so I should be able to dedicate more time to this.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed!

Adore

Chapter 10 – Prowl

Emmett was sure that every hair on his body was standing up. He stood cautiously with his brothers in the entryway at the bottom of the stairs, peering into the darkened rooms. He thought about a lot of things all at once. He thought about Bella being left alone upstairs and how he wanted to snuggle up with her and watch late night talk shows rather than scour the house for a possible intruder. He thought about whether or not a clever and sadistic serial killer was waiting to pounce somewhere in the shadows. He also thought about dinner, and was it perhaps his last supper? He might die tonight, and the last thing he would have eaten would be macaroni and cheese and a bowlful of sliced, syrupy peaches. Wasn't bad, but he could do better.

"Now remember. This isn't a silly horror movie." Emmett told his brothers. "We are_ not_ going to split up like a bunch of dumbasses and get horrifically murdered one by one. Got it?"

"Emmett, stop talking nonsense. Of course we're not going to split up." Jasper growled. "I just have to turn that fucking alarm off, otherwise we won't be able to hear our own thoughts, much less an intruder."

The alarm was still blaring, ringing obnoxiously in their ears and elevating their initial panic.

Jasper went to turn the blasted device off, attempting to be calm as he pressed the code into the pad. It continued to blare, despite his efforts.

"Turn it off!" Emmett said, his eyes wide and alert for any lurking strangers.

"I _can't_ turn it off." Jasper growled. "I put the code in, and nothing happened. It must be programmed to stay on after a certain amount of time."

"Fuck." Emmett muttered.

"Let's keep looking around," Edward suggested. "We don't even know if it's a false alarm yet. It could be nothing."

"It's probably Charles Manson." Emmett quipped.

"But how are we supposed to hear an intruder if this motherfucker is wailing?" Jasper was seriously tempted to smash the bugger to bits. Mom and dad probably wouldn't appreciate that, though.

"We'll just have to deal with it." Edward said. "There's nothing else we can do."

His brothers each gave him a dirty look, and it was evident to Edward that all was not forgiven. Oh well, he thought, they'd have to put their anger towards him aside for the time being.

"Fine," Jasper strode past him, not giving a fuck if someone was around the corner waiting to jump him.

"Jasper, don't be so brazen." Emmett caught up to him. "Jesus, we have to be careful. They might have a weapon."

"I don't care. Let's just get rid of them." Jasper flicked on the light to the living room. It was empty. "Oh look, no one's here." Jasper bit out sarcastically. He was seething at both the idea of an intruder and that his time with Bella had been interrupted. It fucking better be a false alarm!

Emmett used more caution upon entering the next adjoining room. But again, there was no one there. In fact, every room they searched was not only sans intruder, but there was no sign that anyone had broken in.

He figured if there was any place someone was going to break in, it'd be the kitchen, the only room they had yet to search. That's where the back door was, although it was locked the last time he checked.

He turned the kitchen light on, illuminating the expansive space with bright clarity. It hurt their eyes for a minute before they adjusted.

But there was no sign of an unwelcome intruder. All the doors were securely shut and locked, all of the windows were as they should be, no glass was strewn across the floor, and no doors had been tampered with. Everything looked normal. It was utterly baffling. What had set off the alarm?

* * *

><p>Bella was having trouble not letting her nerves get the best of her.<p>

Sometimes being obedient for your own good truly sucked. But Bella was trying her best to keep her word to Jasper. It wasn't easy.

Bella groaned, clutching the bed sheet more tightly across her chest. She'd put on one of Jasper's spare shirts after he left, not wanting to be so naked and vulnerable, but she still felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of them being down there in harm's way. She didn't appreciate being locked up one bit. It made her feel so useless. But Jasper had insisted, and she knew he just wanted her to be safe…but still.

She eyed the clock balefully. He'd left only two minutes earlier, but it felt like he'd been gone for an hour. She couldn't wait for her boys to come back. If anything happened to them, she was never locking herself in a room again!

Maybe she should go down…she might be of some help. Besides, what could happen to her with three strong men around? She couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. They could be in a fight that very moment. Not as if she could hear anything over that annoying alarm.

_No! _

She would listen to Jasper. Bella liked to think she had learned from her past mistakes. How many times did she have to almost die in order to stop charging into dangerous situations like she had a death wish?

_Okay, Bella, don't go out there. You know you'll just get yelled at, and they'll start coddling you again. They're probably fine as it is. There's no one else in the house. Just keep telling yourself that._

_Oh yeah? You _do _know that the odds are _for_ there being an intruder, don't you? Or did you not hear about all those houses in the neighborhood getting robbed?_

"Oh…" Bella sat back down on the bed, accepting that she'd just have to worry about them until they returned.

They were searching the house, she figured, and it was a _big_ house. So after ten minutes dragged by, she told herself that that was the reason they weren't back. There was nothing to angst over. They were fine. Absolutely okay. Right…

_Screw this!_

"Jesus, where are they?" She stood up and strode over to the door, pressing her ear against it, which did her no good, of course. She so badly wanted to go out there and see for herself what was going on. The suspense was too much. They could be downstairs laying in a pool of blood right now and she was doing nothing to save them.

Perhaps just a peek…if she went out into the hallway, that wouldn't hurt anything, would it?

Bella placed her hand on the knob. She had only turned the lock half way when she heard the floorboards outside the room creak under someone's weight. Was Jasper back?

The footsteps came closer, a pair of boots making contact with the hardwood floor. Bella knew it wasn't Jasper.

Dread assaulted her stomach, and she immediately relocked the door, moving to stand on the other side of it. She almost jumped when the doorknob jiggled, but she kept quiet. Yet whoever it was knew she was there. All she could do was be silent. They were there to steal, after all; they weren't there for her. They'd leave soon enough.

And she was right. She could hear the faint sound of retreating footsteps going back down the hall. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief, but it was soon defeated by a worse thought.

Was he going downstairs? What if he had a gun or a knife?

Bella quickly pressed her ear to the door again, hoping to make out whether he was going downstairs or not, but she couldn't hear anything. She pursed her lips.

_BANG!_

Bella let out a yell, jumping back as another blow was delivered. A jumbled mess of thoughts ran through her head, but she wasn't too shocked to know what was going on.

He was trying to get in…

Another bang rattled the door, along with frantic scratching. They were trying to scare her, that much she knew. And it was working. She also knew that they were all too close to breaking down the door.

Another jarring bang had Bella cowering behind the bed. She didn't know what to do. There wasn't even a phone in there, and the alarm was still wailing.

She had to try, though, didn't she?

"Jasper! Emmett! Edward!"

But it was too late. With another slam against the door, he was in.

* * *

><p>"Too bad we didn't think to ask mom and dad if it ever goes off on its own." Edward said.<p>

"Well we couldn't have missed anything," Jasper took another look around the kitchen, puzzled, "so it must be a glitch."

"Yeah…" Emmett frowned, thoughtful. "I don't know, maybe we should have another look around."

"I doubt that will do any good…" Jasper mumbled. "Let's just go upstairs and get Bella, and try to disable that goddamn alarm."

"I don't get it." Emmett looked around the kitchen hard. "How come nothing has been…I don't know, broken or tampered with? Alarms don't usually go off by themselves. This just doesn't feel right."

"I agree." Edward frowned. "I have a bad feeling." He turned to Jasper, a terrifying thought hitting him. "Are you sure Bella locked the door behind you?"

Jasper paled. "Yes…"

And then, all at once, the three shared a collective thought: they hadn't checked the _upstairs_ rooms. No, they'd automatically assumed that an intruder would come in through the downstairs. What kind of person went to the second level, after all? But perhaps they were wrong. Perhaps, all this time they were looking downstairs, someone had been upstairs. It's not as if they'd hear them over the deafening alarm.

And they'd left Bella up there by herself.

Suddenly they were surrounded by silence. The alarm was off…

But the silence was soon invaded by the unmistakable sound of police sirens.

"Finally! What took them so long?" Edward said, aggravated. He went out to open the gate while Emmett and Jasper raced up the stairs.

Jasper's heart almost stopped when he saw that the door to the guest bedroom was open.

"Bella!" He and Emmett ran into the darkened room, flipping the light switch and illuminating the room.

Bella sat on the bed, facing away from them. Her shoulders shook as she attempted to repress an oncoming flood of tears. When Emmett and Jasper rounded the bed, they saw the lamp that had been on the nightstand was now smashed on the floor by her feet. One look at Bella made their jaws drop and their blood boil.

There was blood staining her white t-shirt.

"Oh my god, Bella, what happened?" Emmett sat next to her and lifted her head up, revealing a bruise on her right cheek.

She looked up at them, her brown eyes wet. "Where were you?"

Emmett's eyes flashed with guilt.

"Who did this?" Jasper growled. His insides were being torn apart. He had let this happen. He shouldn't have left her alone.

"I don't know." Bella admitted. "He was wearing a mask."

Edward came in then, out of breath. "The police are here. They're searching the whole house." His expression immediately turned to one of worry when he saw Bella. "What's going on?"

"The fucker who broke in attacked Bella." Jasper had to stop himself from breaking something, preferably the man's neck.

Edward was silent, but they could tell he had a fire in his eyes. The next moment he stormed out of the room and found the nearest policeman. They hadn't even been sure someone _had _broken in, but now…

"He attacked my girlfriend!" They heard Edward shout. "He can't be that far. He might still be in the house."

Bella shuddered.

"Baby, tell us what happened." Emmett coaxed her. He wanted to ask her if the man had…

But no, he couldn't even form the words.

"I heard someone outside the door." Bella started. "I thought he was leaving, though. But then he started slamming against the door, trying to get in. And he did." Her tears were flowing freely now, but she prevented herself from full-on sobbing. More than anything, she was angry.

"And then?" Jasper prodded.

"I...I may have hit him on the head with the lamp. And, um, his stomach and such. There was some blood."

They stared at her, wide-eyed. _She_ attacked _him_?

"Well I thought he was going to rape me," Bella said, as if she had to justify her actions. She looked a little guilty, but there was no reason to be. "I hurt him, but he still punched me in the face. Then he just ran off…I don't know what he wanted."

Jasper bent down and hugged her. "I'm sorry we weren't here, darling. You must have been so scared. I'm never leaving you alone again."

"We need to tell the police about this." Emmett said. "Let's get you properly dressed first."

He picked her up and carried her into their bedroom, making sure there wasn't an officer in there before closing the door. Jasper and Emmett dressed her quickly, wanting to get this ordeal over with. Edward was talking to the cops downstairs, wanting to know the second they found anything.

"You ready?" Emmett asked Bella, sticking her right foot in a shoe.

"I'm ready to kill the bastard. Does that count?"

"Sure. Let me get a gun and I'll join you."

* * *

><p>Emmett wasn't a drinker, but if he was, he could certainly use a glass full of vodka right now. A big glass.<p>

Why, do you ask?

Because he had volunteered to be the bearer of bad news to his parents. It was going to be fun telling them that their house was broken into and their daughter-in-law was punched in the face.

His mother had gone silent when he first told them. They were on speaker phone. Emmett thought it'd be best to tell them both at the same time. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea…

"We're catching the next flight back." Esme insisted. She was in panic mode, and it was hard to argue with her when she was like that. "What if he'd hurt you and your brothers, too? Oh my god, they _aren't_ hurt, are they? You're better not be hiding anything from me!"

"Mom, we're fine. Bella's fine, too. She was even examined. There was no damage done, I promise. There's nothing to worry about. It was just another random robbery."

"You said they didn't take anything." Carlisle interjected. "So it wasn't really a robbery."

_I should have gotten drunk for this._

"It was meant to be a robbery. I'm sure they had every intention of stealing an expensive vase or some gaudy artwork. But you know, most thieves are stupid and don't know how to do a proper stakeout. They must not have known there were four people in the house. Either way, he was thwarted. We're like super spies."

"Emmett, this isn't a laughing matter." Esme chastised. "Bella could have been seriously hurt. He could have raped her. It sounds like that's what he was going to do." He could hear her starting to choke up again.

Emmett glowered. He may have put on a good front, but inside he was full of rage. He wasn't taking the situation lightly at all. He knew very well how badly last night's events could have gone. "Trust me, mom, I'm not. I'm just trying not to get angrier than I already am. But there's nothing I can do right now. I can't go back and kill the guy. He's long gone by now."

"I can't believe he got away." Carlisle lamented.

Emmett pinched his forehead. "I know. What I can't believe is that we didn't even see him. He must have a lot of experience in breaking and entering."

"Did the police find anything?" Esme asked.

"Actually, they did. Bella must have hurt him pretty good when she bashed him with that lamp, which is, um, broken by the way. Anyway, they found a small blood trail in the hallway. And they found a few drops of blood outside, too. So now they're scouring the hospitals for anyone with a head injury."

"I hope they do catch him." His mother said. "Everyone within a mile is terrified. This is the first time violence was involved, though. I imagine the neighborhood will be in a tizzy when they hear."

Emmett considered what she said. _Figures Bella would be the one to get involved in the violence aspect. We just can't escape that shit, can we?_

"Did anyone ever see the burglar?" Emmett wondered why he had never asked before.

"Now that you mention it, no." Carlisle said. "The houses were always broken into when the owners were gone or away. I know at least one of them was away visiting a relative, but most of them were either at work or out to dinner. This guy really didn't do his homework this time. He probably got whiff that we were going away, but didn't realize someone would be staying."

"What a dumbass." Emmett snickered. "It's been obvious that we're here. Half the lights are on, there's a car in the driveway, and we're not exactly hibernating. We go out sometimes."

"But how did he even know we were going away?" Esme exclaimed. "We didn't tell many people. It's not something that would be easy to find out." She sounded frustrated, and Emmett felt bad. They'd spent the days before the trip assuring their parents that nothing was going to happen, that no one would dare touch the house with _four_ people living in it. Well damn, they'd been proven wrong.

"It's probably someone who lives around here." Emmett said. "Or a friend of someone who lives nearby. That's what it often is."

"How do you know that?" Carlisle asked, skeptical.

"A cop told me. But I would have figured that out regardless." Emmett grinned.

"Sure you would have." Carlisle chuckled. "Well, it's an unsettling idea, but I suppose it's possible. Hopefully the police will find the guy soon, preferably with a nasty, infectious gash on his head."

Emmett checked his watch, anxious to return to Bella. "I have to get back to Bella now."

"Alright Emmy, we'll see you soon." Esme promised.

"Mom, I want your word that you won't cut your trip short." Emmett demanded.

He could sense her reluctance. "I simply want to ease my mind, and the only way to do that is to see the four of you in person."

"Dad, make mom see reason!"

Carlisle laughed. "Don't worry, son, we're staying. I paid too much for this trip to come back…unless it's an emergency. I won't lie, though, I want to make sure you're all alright. I'll just have to take your word for it. But if anything else happens, we're coming straight home, you got that?"

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Yes, dad. Now go have fun and buy me lots of souvenirs. And candy."

"We'll try. Give our love to Bella and your brothers."

Emmett grabbed a water bottle before heading back up. He and his brothers had hardly left Bella's side since the night before. It was likely that they'd be sticking to her like crazy glue for a long time. They all felt guilty, justifiably so, and the paranoia they'd experienced two years prior re-emerged. If only Bella wasn't such a bad-guy magnet!

He was almost at the top of the stairs when the buzzer went off, alerting him that someone was at the gate. Emmett looked out the window, and there was Charlie Swan in his police cruiser. Charlie had been there the night before, swearing to do everything he could to find the man who was breaking into all those houses. He probably had news, Emmett thought. Perhaps he'd found the guy at the hospital.

Emmett let him in, and as soon as he looked at Charlie, he knew he didn't have the news he was hoping for.


	12. He Doth Appear

Disclaimer: Yeah, sure, I own this. I'm also Marilyn Monroe.

**A/N** I'm back! I know, it's been way too long, and I apologize. Updates will be more frequent from now on, but some of the chapters will be a tad shorter for awhile.

Adore

Chapter 11 – He Doth Appear

Charlie Swan hadn't gotten any sleep, that much was obvious. Of course none of them had really slept. Emmett had given Bella sleeping tablets since she could do nothing but stare at the ceiling and press an ice pack to her face. He made Edward and Jasper take them, too, saying they'd be useless if they didn't get any shut-eye.

"I'm staying up," Jasper shoved the pill back in Emmett's hand, "that pervert might come back. We can't all be knocked out if that happens."

"He's not coming back." Emmett promised. But that didn't stop him from staying up all night, patrolling while everyone slept.

It had been over 24 hours since the attack when Charlie came to the house. He had dark bags under his eyes. They almost matched the ones Emmett was sporting.

"Morning." Charlie grunted, entering the house and avoiding eye contact, which did not pass Emmett's notice. He led the Chief into the family room, beckoning him to sit down.

"Where's the rest of the gang?" Charlie asked, giving the room a quick once over.

"Upstairs." Emmett wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. He also wasn't in the mood for bad news, but he could tell by the look on the Chief's face that he was going to be disappointed.

"How's Bella?"

Emmett sighed, impatient. "She's recovering. So what's going on?"

Charlie frowned. "I'm sorry, Emmett. We got nothing."

"So you didn't find him?" Emmett wasn't surprised. He hadn't expected any results.

"We checked every hospital and medical center within fifty miles. The closest we got was a man with a gash on his head, but it turned out he and his wife had been in a car accident." Charlie said.

Emmett nodded, disappointed. "Is there anything you can do?" He tightened his fist, trying not to let his anger show. It would be unfair to take it out on Charlie.

"Not a whole lot, I'm afraid. We'll have to wait and see if anything else turns up. We have his DNA, but so far that hasn't turned up any matches. We're running it through again."

"Yes…" Emmett bowed his head. They might never find the guy, he thought. It wouldn't be the first time someone escaped. People got away with crimes every day. This would simply be yet another unsolved case.

"I have to get going now," Charlie said, standing up. "I'm still on duty."

"Right, well thanks for coming, Chief." Emmett shook his hand, leading him to the door.

"No problem, son. I'll update you as soon as we know anything."

* * *

><p><em>Well this sucks monkey balls.<em>

The last he checked, everyone was still asleep in bed. He didn't want to wake them up just to tell them something they didn't want to hear. But they were all awake, as it turned out. Bella was lying on the bed, her head in Jasper's lap.

"Was that the Chief?" Jasper asked, massaging Bella's scalp and playing with her hair.

"Yes," Emmett sat on the bed.

"And?" Edward sat up, giving Emmett his full attention. Bella was the only one who seemed disinterested.

He took a deep breath, rubbing Bella's ankle with his thumb, more for his own comfort than hers. "They haven't found him yet. They're still looking."

His brothers' hopeful expressions immediately dropped.

"Damn." Jasper said. "I really thought they'd find him. He was right there."

"There's still a chance." Emmett said. "They even ran his DNA through the database and came up with nothing."

Bella let out a soft giggle. "At least I'll have something new to tell my therapist."

They turned to her, wide-eyed. That was certainly not how they expected her to react. She'd been quietly seething since it happened, and she had hardly spoken to any of them. They weren't quite sure what that was about yet. But now she seemed to have gotten over some of her anger, which was more than could be said for her lovers.

"And just what have you been telling her, hmmm?" Edward teased. "Anything we should know?"

He didn't mean to hit a nerve, but there was a moment when Bella's eyes flickered just so, and guilt flashed across her face. Emmett probably noticed this sort of thing more than his brothers did, or maybe it was just that he watched her more than they did, when no one else was looking. Sometimes he wished he could break that habit, because when he saw anything akin to guilt or deception on his Bella-Bear's face, he wanted to dig into her brain and discover all the things she kept from them.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bella forced a smile.

"Yes." Jasper snorted. "Tell us everything."

"Mm, I don't think I will. Unfortunately, that's between me and my doctor." Bella winked at him.

"Oh, you naughty girl. I should spank you."

"You should." Bella agreed. "I haven't had a good spanking in awhile. But right now I need to go to the bathroom." She blushed, rising from the bed.

"Do you need help walking?" Jasper asked.

Bella puckered her brow. "Jasper, I got punched in the face, not the leg."

"Still, you might be wobbly."

"But I'm not."

"What if you tip over and I'm not there to catch you?"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Tip over? Hmm. Okay I'm going. Don't follow."

They chuckled, but decided to be obedient.

Emmett lay back on the bed, folding his hands under his head. "I should go home and check the mail today. I forgot to do it yesterday."

"I'll go with you," Jasper said. "I have some errands to run around there, anyway. Might as well go together."

"I'll come too, then." Edward added.

"No, you stay here." Jasper said a little too quickly.

Edward frowned, hurt. "Why?" But he could guess why. Jasper had effectively put his issues with him aside after Bella was attacked. It didn't seem half as important now, but Edward knew Jasper hadn't completely let his anger go. It would come out eventually, and he would continue to take it out on him in little ways like this for the time being.

"Someone needs to hold down the fort. Best not to leave the house empty." Jasper thought it was a pretty damned good excuse, very believable, even if it wasn't altogether true.

Edward wasn't buying it, but he didn't argue.

Bella came into the room a minute later, refreshed. As soon as she stepped foot in their bedroom she could sense that something was amiss.

"What's going on?" One look at her boyfriends and it was obvious she wasn't going to get an honest answer.

Emmett cleared his throat. "Jasper and I are going back to the house to get the mail, then we're gonna run some errands."

Bella was aware that he was leaving something out, but she didn't want to argue, and going out for an hour or so sounded like a good idea to her. "Oh good, I'll come with you. I've been itching to get out of the house for awhile."

"I'll take you out." Edward offered, not wanting to be excluded by her, too. He knew she wasn't mad at him, but it would comfort him if she was there.

Bella was about to agree, but Jasper caught her eye, silently begging her to refuse him. She didn't understand why he was telling her to do that, but she hoped he had a better reason than simply being a dickhead to Edward.

"Um, that's okay Edward. Maybe tomorrow." As soon as she said it she felt bad. Edward was taking it as a rejection. She went over and sat on his lap. "Can you take me to the movies this week? We haven't had a date in forever."

Edward brightened at that, but only minutely. "Alright, then, it's a date."

"Good." Bella kissed him.

* * *

><p>"So what was that about?" Bella began her interrogation as soon as Jasper started the car.<p>

Jasper grinned at her through the rearview mirror. "Did you forget what tomorrow is?"

Bella frowned. "No…"

"So what is the significance of tomorrow?" Jasper prodded, sporting a Cheshire grin.

Bella rolled her eyes. "It's Edward's birthday. So _that's_ what this is about?"

Jasper nodded. "You know Edward. He always forgets his own birthday, and we haven't gotten him any presents yet. So I thought we could do some shopping today and get a cake."

Jasper was right. Edward was in the habit of forgetting his birthday. It just wasn't that important to him. Jasper was more or less the same way, although he never forgot. Emmett was the one who loved birthdays. Every birthday was a big deal in his mind, but his was a bigger deal than his brothers', of course. But Bella's birthday trumped them all. She'd usually rather forget her birthday, too. It wasn't like she had truly celebrated it when she was younger, but to her boys it was one of the most important days of the year.

"So he must have no idea what we're really up to." Bella said. "I already got him something a couple of weeks ago, by the way."

"Hmm, I'm guessing you mean whatever it was you were hiding in that bag." Emmett affirmed.

"Why don't we hit the shops before we head back home to get the mail?" Jasper suggested.

"Okay. And Jasper please don't let him think you're snubbing him." Bella said. "I'm pretty sure he thinks you're giving him the cold shoulder."

"I know." Jasper admitted. He didn't really want to admit to himself or her that he was treating his brother badly, perhaps unfairly. Maybe he _should_ go to therapy.

They drove in silence for the next several minutes until Emmett decided it was getting too depressing. "So about that cake: chocolate or vanilla?"

They hit the mall first, searching for anything they thought Edward might appreciate. After that they headed to the market to get a cake and a few necessities. Bella needed to get her "girly things", as she liked to put it, so she left Emmett and Jasper to find the perfect cake.

"Don't go too far." Jasper said.

Bella crossed her arms over her chest. What was she, a five year-old? "Don't worry master, I won't."

They chuckled as she walked away.

She walked over to the feminine care aisle and started browsing. _I should get more mascara, too_, she thought. She wanted to look good for Edward's birthday. They were probably going to take him out for dinner somewhere nice, and she already knew she was going to wear the dress she'd worn a couple weeks earlier. She'd even told Edward she'd wear it for his birthday. It truly amazed her how he could forget his own birthday. Maybe he wanted to forget it. He wasn't that happy about turning twenty-eight. Well, maybe they could make it a good birthday for him, and she'd wear the dress especially for him.

_Ugh, and that was the night Professor Wesley_ _showed up_. She'd managed to get that out of her mind until now. Hopefully wearing that particular dress wouldn't stir up memories for anyone else.

"Well, look who it is."

Bella occasionally wondered if she was cursed to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Today certainly seemed to be proving that point.

_Speak of the devil and he doth appear._

"Professor Wesley…" Bella couldn't believe her luck. First a restaurant, now a market. She'd have to avoid any places with food from now on. This would be the perfect scenario for lovers in a romance. Chance meetings in random locations; both parties taken by surprise, and oh the love in the air! But, as it was…

"Bella." Peter beamed brightly, clearly happy to have run into her. Again.

"Professor…" Bella didn't know what to say. She was holding a pack of sanitary napkins in one hand and…well another pack of sanitary napkins in the other. What? She was stocking up. It was an awkward position to be in. Then again, maybe he'd be so disgusted that he'd end the conversation quickly.

_Start talking about menstrual blood, quick!_

"Peter." He grinned.

_Oh right, because "Professor Wesley" is too formal_.

"Peter. Hello." _Wow, that was brilliant! You said "hello"!_

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to run into you two times in two weeks. How have you been?"

Bella was about to answer when he noticed the bruise underneath her eye. A purple shiner the size of a golf ball.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Peter touched the skin just below her wound.

Bella froze. She hadn't even thought to be self-conscious about it. Perhaps she should have tried to conceal it, but she didn't see much point. It wasn't _that_ bad. Her former teacher caressing her cheek was, though.

"Oh, I just got punched in the face." Bella chuckled, hoping he'd let it go if she didn't make a big deal about it. He looked horrified.

"By who?"

She removed his hand from her face, noticing him blush when he realized how improper he was being.

"I…I don't know." She didn't want to have this conversation, especially not with him. She'd have to think of an excuse to leave before Jasper or Emmett found them. That would be bad, and that was putting it lightly.

He gave her an incredulous look. "You don't know?"

"He was wearing a mask." Bella explained, suddenly more embarrassed than she expected to be. She didn't want to answer these questions.

Peter's eyes widened. "Did you call the police? Did he do anything else?"

Bella was beyond uncomfortable under his scrutiny, which he was beginning to realize. "Yes, we called the police. But they couldn't find him…"

Peter went silent, staring at her, contemplating.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't have interrogated you like that. I should have been more sensitive. It's just alarming. Seeing you hurt…"

Bella wanted to be angry at him, but she couldn't. Anyone would be a bit startled. She'd let him off the hook…even though she was tired of bumping into him. Wasn't his fault, she had to remind herself.

"It's okay. And_ I'm _okay, really."

Peter smiled. "Good to hear. What have you been doing on your summer vacation?"

Bella groaned internally. _Stop talking!_ "Not a whole lot. Mostly just relaxing at home, catching up on my reading, that sort of thing."

_AKA, sex, sex, sex._

"And you?" _No, don't be polite! Act like a bitch!_

"The same as you, actually. I hardly have time to read during the school year, so I've been going through about five books a week. I usually go somewhere for a week or two, and this year I'm going to visit a friend. Next week, in fact."

_Maybe "friend" is code for "girlfriend"._

Bella wanted to break out a huge smile. She'd be safe next week! She could eat at any restaurant, shop at any market, walk past any diner, and not have to worry about coming face-to-face with Professor Starry Eyes!

"Oh cool. Where are you going?"

"Utah."

Bella wanted to ask him if he had a girlfriend, but she knew she wouldn't be able to make it sound subtle. She didn't want him to think she was prying, which she totally was.

"Have you been friends long?" was all she could come up with.

"Years," he replied, "and I'm due for a visit."

"Well I hope you enjoy your trip." Bella was getting anxious. Emmett and Jasper could catch them at any second, and the whole day would be ruined, she just knew it.

"And I hope you enjoy the rest of your vacation. Who knows, we might even run into each other again."

_Noooooooooooo!_

"Yeah, you never know." Bella agreed. _We are _so _taking a trip. To New Zealand. Or Canada. _

"And hey, you might be in one of my classes next semester." Peter seemed to enjoy this possibility. Bella wanted to vomit all over his handsome jacket, which, frankly, looked so expensive that it was simply asking to be barfed on.

"Yes, maybe." Bella was growing more anxious by the second. Jasper and Emmett would be appearing at any moment. In fact, she was shocked they had stayed away for that long. They were usually after her if she was gone for more than five minutes.

"Well, I have to go." Bella finally said. She waved the packs of sanitary napkins in front of her as proof she had places to be. Then she realized what she was doing and quickly stopped. Peter pretended he didn't notice.

"Alright, Bella. Nice bumping into you. Hopefully we meet again soon."

Bella escaped into a neighboring aisle before he could attempt to kiss her hand or lick her or whatever. She grabbed a tube of mascara while she was at it, hoping it would make a useful excuse as to why she was gone for close to ten minutes.

Peter had been carrying a hand basket, she noticed, so perhaps he was about to leave. If that was the case, she needed to hide a little while longer and wait for him to leave. She also needed to find Emmett and Jasper. She decided to search for her two MIA boyfriends, wondering why they hadn't found her first by now. The last thing she needed was them running into Peter as well.

Jasper proved elusive for a few minutes, but it only took her half a minute to find Emmett…

Who was staring down Peter.

In the vegetable aisle.

_Fuck._

**A/N** Alright, I know this is short, but there's more to come! The next update will be way faster.

Reviews=love.


	13. Untitled

Disclaimer: Hello, my name is Stephenie Meyer. Wassssssuuuuppppp!

**A/N** Phew, I finally finished another chapter! I split this up into two chapters, so chapter 13 is already underway.

Also, thank you to Kerri for warning me that FF is taking down stories, sometimes without warning. And I see they put a note up today about what _isn't _allowed in these stories, so I guess they're openly warning people now. Hmmmmm. I just want everyone to know that if any or all of my stories are removed from FF, I will repost them elsewhere. I'm actually expecting it. So just keep an eye on my profile and fanfiction blog if that happens, because I'll post a link to my stories.

I hope you enjoy!

Adore

Chapter 12 – Untitled

Bella supposed she should be grateful that it was Emmett who was staring down Peter and not Jasper, but it was difficult to feel anything of the sort when Emmett looked so…intimidating. He towered two or three inches above her former professor, and possessed twice as much muscle.

Bella stood back for a moment, anticipating an explosion, or a ninja fight. She wondered how long they had been giving each other the stink eye, or if either had spoken at all. It would be weird if they'd simply come across each other and just started staring…

Looking at them, however, she guessed that was _exactly_ what had happened.

_Time for some damage control._

She got her cell phone out and quickly dialed Emmett, hoping he had his phone turned on. Bella figured it'd be best if neither saw her, so she hid herself just enough so that she could see them, but they couldn't see her.

Emmett's familiar ringtone met her ears from a distance, and she breathed a sigh of relief. He was even so good as to answer it.

"Hello?" She could see him frowning, obviously wondering why his girlfriend was calling her when they were in the same exact market. It did the trick, however, as it officially ended the little staring contest he had going.

"Emmett, please step away from the Professor." Bella told him, as calm as she could muster.

Emmett glanced around, paranoid, and ignoring the weird looks Peter was throwing at him.

"Where are you?"

Bella frowned. She had no idea which aisle she was in, but one look over her shoulder revealed that she was, in fact, standing in the cookie aisle. Which made her inexplicably hungry.

"Go over to where the cookies are." Bella said.

Emmett considered for a moment. He gave Peter another once over, treating him as if he were a suspected criminal he had to keep an eye on.

Bella could see he was hesitant. "Emmett, _please_."

Emmett nodded. His sudden departure jarred Peter, who stood dumbfounded for a few seconds before finally making his way to the checkout line.

Bella turned off her phone, a great weight lifted from her shoulders.

_Disaster avoided._

Emmett came flying into the aisle, his face unreadable.

Bella wasn't entirely sure what to say to him. Nothing had happened, sure, but something _was _happening. She didn't know how this could have occurred, how someone she barely knew and didn't even _like_ had managed to work his way, albeit unintentionally, into her personal life. Professor Peter Wesley was never supposed to meet her lovers, he was never supposed to meet her outside of school, and, really, he was never supposed to know her as anyone other than Miss. Mercury, just another student who no one should bother to remember. It was all incredibly off-kilter.

And obviously he was infiltrating her love life now, which she didn't even think was possible. But Emmett's weird reaction told her everything. She didn't want to admit it, but Peter Wesley was becoming an issue. Well, a bigger issue than he used to be. And the weirdest part was, he didn't even mean to do it, he was simply…there. Couldn't he move to Spain or something?

"What was that all about?" Bella asked.

Emmett shrugged. "I ran into your teacher."

"And why were you staring at each other like mortal enemies?"

Emmett looked around, making sure no one was within earshot. Namely, Jasper. He lowered his voice, leaning into Bella. "Look, baby I don't want to ask this, but I have to. Did something happen between you and your professor?"

Bella gasped. Her face went red at the fact that the thought even crossed his mind. It made her feel sick.

"Of course not! How can you even suggest that?" She was hurt. Was he seriously asking if she had been fooling around on them?

"No, no, no, Bella, that's not what I meant!" Emmett fumbled around for the right words. "I just meant…did he do anything? Say anything inappropriate to you? Touch you?"

"Ugh, Emmett, don't be disgusting." Bella could practically feel the bile rising. Or perhaps that was just her imagination.

"Is that a no?" Emmett was desperate for it to be a no.

Bella decided to refrain from being angry with him. He was worried, that was all, and it wasn't his fault that his instincts were spot on.

"Nothing happened, I promise." Bella said, watching the relief flood his face. She should have felt guilty, she thought, even though she wasn't actually lying. Nothing_ had_ happened. Peter Wesley was a perfect gentleman…it just so happened that he was a creepy gentleman who managed to charm every single one of his students except her. She was the only person on the planet who didn't like him, she was certain.

"Good. I didn't mean to offend you," Emmett assured her, "but it crossed my mind that he might have been a dick to you. He just _seems_ like he might be a dick. I mean have you seen his hair? It's all groomed and gelled and shit. Only gigantic dicks have hair like that. And his clothes look way too expensive for someone who isn't a dick. Seriously, do you know who wears those kinds of clothes to a market? Gangsters, that's who. Oh, and his eyebrows. Very dickish. And his teeth are too white."

Bella started laughing, which turned into a full-out belly laugh. "Emmett, you're silly."

Emmett pouted, sticking out his lower lip like he always did. "So you don't think he's a dick?"

Bella put on a show of pretending to think long and hard about it. "Well, okay, he's a dick. Not a massive dick, but a little, 3-inch dick."

Emmett grinned. "Glad we agree, pup."

"Pup?"

"Yeah, I feel like calling you 'Pup'."

"You just like giving me pet names."

"I'll never deny that."

It occurred to Bella then that she hadn't seen Jasper in awhile. She thought he was going to be with Emmett the whole time. Emmett wasn't sure where he was either.

"He was going to get a cake," Emmett said. "It's taking longer than usual, though, so maybe he went to get some other supplies."

They walked around for another five minutes before they found him. He was browsing the beverage aisle. He'd gotten the cake, too; a large, chocolate one with the words "Happy Birthday Edward" written across it in white frosting.

"There you are." Bella surprised him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, damn, I lost track of time." Jasper admitted, smiling. "I'm making sure we're not forgetting anything."

"With the way your mom shops, I highly doubt we'll need anything else. I'm pretty sure she bought us enough drinks to last a year." Bella quipped.

"Most likely." Jasper winked. "Get everything you need?"

Bella nodded, putting her 'lady products' in the cart. She still managed to get embarrassed when it came to things like that.

"Time to check out, then."

"Hey, you didn't ask _me_ if I got everything I need," Emmett pointed out.

Jasper snorted. "Got everything you need, little brother?"

"Yes I do, thank you." Emmett dropped a pack of cookies and a bottle of lube into the cart.

"Don't we have lube at home?" Jasper didn't know they were running out.

"You can never have enough lube," Emmett said. "Plus, this is on sale. The lube gods were telling me to buy it."

* * *

><p>Bella did a scan of the checkout lines before allowing Jasper to get into one. Emmett was doing the same thing. Peter Wesley appeared to have come and gone already, which he should have, considering it'd been over fifteen minutes since he got in line. Bella had intentionally kept Jasper back, insisting that they needed to go through a few more aisles before leaving. It gave Peter plenty of time to scram.<p>

"How are we going to hide the cake from Edward?" Bella asked, following her lovers out into the parking lot.

"Easy," Jasper said, "you distract him when we get back, and I'll sneak it down to the basement."

Bella looked perplexed. "Why the basement?"

"Mom and dad keep another fridge down there. It's all furnished, you know. There's even a mini-kitchen and full bathroom. Someone could easily live down there."

_How did I not know that?_ Bella wondered. Damn, sometimes she forgot how rich Carlisle and Esme were. She'd never been in their basement, in all the years she knew them. She made a mental note to check it out soon.

"Anyway, Edward never goes down there, so he'll have no idea. We'll put his gifts down there, too." Jasper said, opening up the trunk of his car. The three of them started loading their bags in just as a light mist of rain began to descend.

"We can never escape the rain, can we?" Emmett mused distractedly. Bella and Jasper hurried to finish putting their groceries in the car, unaware that Emmett's attention had wandered. Jasper was about to turn around when Emmett suddenly blocked him.

"What are you doing?" Jasper tried moving out of the way, but Emmett was persistent.

"Nothing, I just want to return the, uh, cart. You and Bella should get in the car before you get soaked."

"It's not raining _that_ hard, Emmett." Jasper was clearly suspicious, and Emmett knew he was treading on thin ice.

Bella took a peek behind Emmett, and sure enough, there was Peter Wesley. She was surprised Emmett spotted him before she did.

_Why doesn't he just go away?_

He also happened to be looking straight at them as he very, very, very slowly unloaded his groceries…all two bags of them. He was too obvious.

"Oh, don't argue!" Bella threw her hands up in the air, trying to be dramatic enough to throw Jasper for a loop. "Let Emmett get the cart, and you can I can cuddle in the backseat."

Jasper narrowed his eyes. They were bullshitting him like nobody's business, and he wasn't stupid.

He smiled, genial. "That sounds like a great idea, darling." He kissed Bella on the cheek, bringing her into his side. "Better hurry up, Em, I want to get home as soon as possible.

He allowed Bella to steer him in the opposite direction towards the car door. He'd already figured out that they intentionally prevented him from seeing what was behind them, but Jasper was never one to give up easily. And they were such awful liars, how did they expect to fool him?

With one turn of his head, he saw precisely what it was they didn't want him to see. It only took a second to spot him. He was at a distance, but stood directly in his line of vision. Jasper's eyes met Peter's.

Bella saw it.

Emmett saw it.

Bella felt Jasper tense for a few moments. She held her breath, expecting an outburst. Instead, Jasper merely averted his gaze.

"Right." His jaw tightened, signaling his anger, but he said nothing else. In fact, he said nothing at all as they hopped into the backseat.

Emmett was in the driver's seat in a flash, as eager to leave as they were. He knew they were in for an uncomfortable drive. Jasper was great at making car rides uneasy.

"Uh, Jazz?"

Jasper grunted.

"Wanna talk about it?" Emmett prodded.

"Not at the moment."

Emmett cleared his throat. "You gotta admit, though, that dude's hair is all kinds of messed up."

"I. Don't. Want. To. Talk. About. It."

Bella rubbed his leg, hoping to bring his temper down. "There's really nothing to discuss, anyway."

Jasper glared at her.

"Don't look at me that way, I didn't do anything wrong." Bella said. "It's not my fault."

Jasper sighed, realizing this. He put his arm around her and brought her into his side.

He kissed the top of her head. "I know, darling. I'm sorry."

"So you're not upset?"

"Of course I am. I'll just pretend I'm not."

* * *

><p>Edward wasn't the type of man who usually sat around seething. He didn't have a huge temper like Jasper did. He wasn't one to hold grudges, either.<p>

But damn, he was mad.

Three hours. That's how long they'd been gone. Since when did a simple trip to the market and a quick stop home take three fucking hours? He played with the possibility that they had run off together, leaving him behind. He even pictured it in his head. Hell, they probably packed their bags while he wasn't looking and snuck them out of the house. Maybe he should go check and see if he was right.

But no, he was mad, not delusional. They'd come home, Jasper and Emmett would try to be civil –or not–, and Bella would attempt to make them all get along. Perhaps things would get better for a short time, then school would start up and they'd go back to hating his guts, and Bella would be put in the middle of their feud.

He had to chuckle. He was already dooming their future, and it hadn't even happened yet. Plus, if it did…well, it _would_ be his fault, really.

Edward had planted himself in one of his parents' cushy recliners as he waited for everyone to return. It was better than pacing for another hour, like he had been.

The phone rang twice while he waited. Both times they were telemarketers, and both had Edward grinding his teeth in frustration. So by the time Bella and his brothers arrived home, he was in a worse mood than he started out in.

Bella hopped onto his lap, attacking his face with kisses. "Miss me?"

Edward smiled. "Do you have to ask?" He put his arms around her, making sure she didn't leave too soon. "What took so long?"

Bella shrugged. "We browsed for awhile, that's all."

Damn, she was such a bad liar. Edward had to chuckle at how terrible she was at deceiving him. But he supposed it was an innocent lie. Jasper and Emmett probably put her up to it, knowing them.

Bastards.

"Anything good in the mail?" Edward wanted to distract himself, otherwise he might go off on his brothers.

"Nothing interesting. Just a bill and some magazines." Bella said. She eyed the doorway quickly as Emmett passed by, almost anxious.

"Something wrong, love?" Edward was beginning to wonder if they _were_ planning something. Maybe he should be paranoid, after all.

"Nope. Why, does something seem wrong?" Bella turned red under his gaze. He was seeing straight through her.

"No, you just look like you're worried about something." Edward had to admit; he was enjoying this a little bit, making her squirm.

"I'm not." Bella said.

"_Bella_…"

Bella pursed her lips. "I'm not worried about anything…because there's nothing to worry about."

Edward touched one of his hands to his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. "Are you in need of a spanking?"

Bella instinctively covered her ass. "My bum does _not_ need to be spanked! I haven't done anything naughty."

"Hmm, maybe your pussy needs a good spanking. How about that?" Edward teased.

It was obvious Bella was getting aroused. She was embarrassed, but turned on. Edward slipped his hand down between her legs, rubbing her through her jeans.

"Do you want my cock?"

Bella nodded emphatically. She didn't know what had inspired Edward's sudden change in demeanor, but she wasn't about to ask any questions.

"You want me to fuck you?" Edward undid her jeans, dipping it hands into her panties and massaging her clit between his thumb and forefinger.

"Please, Edward…" Bella closed her eyes, enjoying his touch. Edward grinned, removing his hand.

Bella's eyes flew open. "Hey, don't stop!"

"I don't know if you've earned my cock today." Edward said.

Bella pouted. "I didn't know I had to _earn_ it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I could just get Jasper or Emmett, you know."

"True, you could. But I have the feeling that they're preoccupied at the moment." Edward gauged her reaction. She was definitely hiding something. "So what are they doing?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "They're putting the groceries away, you strange man! Now give me your cock."

"I don't know…we might get caught." Edward joked, grabbing her hips and grinding into her.

"Well, we _are_ in your parents' living room. It's risky, I admit, but you know what's even riskier?"

"What?"

"_Not _fucking me in your parents' living room."

One of Edward's brows went up. "You make a valid argument, Miss. Mercury."

"Why thank you, Mr. Cullen." Bella rubbed her pussy against his clothed erection, grinning from ear to ear.

Edward patted her ass. "Stand up and take off your jeans."

Bella obliged. Edward wasn't normally this…saucy. He was usually gentle and let her lead, except for those rare occasions when he allowed his dominant side to emerge. She loved it when that happened. Still, this was different. He was bossy and sexy as hell.

And she loved it.

Bella let her jeans fall to the floor around her feet, kicking them off. She waited for Edward to give her further instructions.

He let his eyes wander over her for a few seconds. "You bad girl." Edward chastised. "You left your panties on."

"Oops." Bella slowly peeled them off, giving him a show. His erection was poking through his pants, and damn, she wanted it.

She stood there, naked from the waist down, her t-shirt clinging to her stomach. Edward could just make out her nipples through the fabric, seeing as they were, ahem, at attention.

"Come here, love." Edward murmured.

Bella walked over, straddling his lap. She lifted her arms above her head as Edward gently took it off. He threw her shirt and bra on the floor before gazing at her naked form. He looked at her as though he'd never seen her naked before. Bella thought she might have to nudge him a bit to get him out of his trance, but as soon as she thought of it, he attacked her breasts, taking her right nipple into his mouth and cupping the other.

"Mmm, Edward…" Bella rested her head on top of his luscious hair as he suckled her, wrapping her arms loosely around him.

Edward enjoyed her breasts for a few moments longer before pulling back, a lecherous glint in his green eyes.

He motioned to his bulging pants. "Take them off."

Bella kissed his forehead. "You're so demanding," she teased.

He watched her descend, his gaze softening in adoration.

She knelt on the floor, her eyes locked on his as she undid his fly and pulled out his cock. She tried to concentrate on Edward's eyes, to match his intensity, but his cock was such a distraction. She truly was a lucky girl. All of her boys were blessed below the belt, and here she was with Edward's 7-inch cock grasped in her hand, all for her.

She let out a small sigh, causing her lover to smirk.

He crooked a finger, telling her to return to his lap. "Let's see just how wet you are."

He slid two of his fingers across her lips, dipping them inside to see if she was slick. Edward groaned, his length hardening even further. "You're always ready for me, love." He praised her.

"Always." Bella agreed.

Edward grabbed hold of her hips once again, guiding her core to his cock and thrusting into her.

He went slow at first, sliding into her at a leisurely pace, but it didn't take long for him to turn aggressive. He wasn't in the mood for gentle love-making, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to be submissive.

It wasn't really like Edward to be quite so care-free in this way. He was having sex in his parents' living room, on the very chair his father sat in when he watched TV and read cheap paperback thrillers. The idea of doing something so…_wrong_ only fuelled Edward. Hell, he'd already had sex in their bed. This wasn't half as bad, was it?

And Bella was loving it. She was incredibly responsive, clutching at his shirt, his hair, begging for mercy but telling him not to stop.

"You like that, love?" Edward rubbed circles on her clit, driving her into a frenzy.

Their commotion eventually caught Jasper and Emmett's attentions. They'd been down in the basement almost as soon as they returned home, figuring Bella was keeping Edward adequately distracted. And, uh, they were right.

Emmett walked up from the basement, making sure his footsteps were quiet so as not to alert Edward that he was ever down there. He and Jasper had already wrapped all of the gifts they bought that day. Jasper didn't trust Emmett to do a decent job of it, so he just had to butt in.

Now they stood by the living room, wanting to join in but resisting. They had been dickheads to Edward lately, after all, and tomorrow _was_ his birthday. Might as well let him have Bella to himself.

For now.

* * *

><p>After Edward and Bella righted themselves, they joined Emmett and Jasper in the kitchen. Needless to say, Edward was feeling more confident than he had been earlier, but he was still apprehensive. He just wanted everything to be the way it used to.<p>

"Have fun?" Jasper winked.

"Now I have _two_ things to blackmail you with." Emmett snickered. "Mom would freak if she knew you fucked in her living room _and _in her bed. I can just see her face right now…"

"Well I'm sure she wouldn't like knowing where _you _plan to fuck." Edward countered.

"Hey, I haven't fucked anywhere inappropriate yet. And there's nothing nasty about doing it in the Jacuzzi. The remnants of our sexytime will be washed away, unlike that poor chair you jizzed-up. Every time I see mom or dad sitting in that thing, I'll be picturing you there, humping and cumming." Emmett took a sip of his water, pausing for dramatic effect. "That poor, innocent chair, now soiled with Edward's love."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I didn't even take my pants off, and I certainly didn't get any of my jizz on it."

Bella sat down at the kitchen table across from Jasper and Emmett.

"Come to think of it," she said, "I probably got some of my, erm, juice on it. Remind me to wipe it down later."

Emmett reached across the table and took her by the hand. "Oh, don't worry about that, baby. No one cares if you cum on the furniture. Your cum is cute. Man-cum is totally _not _cute, though, and we don't want any of that shit left on mom and dad's things. I'd never be able to look at them with a straight face again!"

Bella shot him an incredulous look. "Did you just say my cum is cute?"

Emmett nodded. "It is."

Jasper chuckled. "Mom must have been doing drugs when she was pregnant with you."

"Yeah, or she dropped you on your head." Edward added.

"That would explain why it's so fucking big." Jasper said.

Emmett shrugged. "Hey, I admit to having a big head, it's just not the head you're referring to."

"Okay," Jasper stood up, "no more penis talk."

"I could talk about penises all day." Bella smirked.

Edward kissed her on the cheek. "I don't think anyone minds that, love. Just make sure you're talking about _our_ cocks."

"Oh, I will, I will." Bella gave his thigh a quick squeeze.

"How's your eye?" Jasper asked.

"Better." Bella replied. She touched the purple skin under her eye, remembering how Professor Wesley had taken notice, and how he'd put his hand on her face…

"You sure? You look uncomfortable." Edward took a closer look, concerned.

"I'm sure…I just don't like thinking about it." She admitted. "And I wish it wasn't so noticeable, but I guess it'll take awhile to fully disappear."

"It's alright, baby. It doesn't look that bad, you know." Emmett said. "And if anyone says anything about it, we'll punch _them_ in the face."

"No you won't." Bella said. "You're a teddy bear. Teddy bears don't commit acts of violence."

"I thought I was a gorilla…"

"You're both."

"Am I anything else?"

Bella paused to think about it. "Yes. You're about to fuck me senseless."

She looked over at Jasper and Edward. "So are you."

Emmett waggled his eyebrows. "Well, well, well, aren't you in a good mood today. And just where do you propose we fuck you senseless, pup?"

Bella grinned, saying the one word he wanted to hear:

"Jacuzzi."

**A/N** Please review!


	14. Jacuzzi Bomb

Disclaimer: I own this. Like zomg.

**A/N** Have a great 4th of July and stay cool!

Adore

Chapter 13 – Jacuzzi Bomb

Emmett had always had a fondness for his parents' Jacuzzi growing up. In fact, you could say he was a little obsessed with it. Maybe it was because he and his brothers weren't allowed to use it. Carlisle and Esme figured that if they wanted to immerse themselves in water, they could use the pool like normal kids. The Jacuzzi, however, was reserved for mommy and daddy. No kids allowed.

Of course that didn't prevent Emmett from taking a dip every once in awhile when they were gone. Sometimes Edward and Jasper joined in, but it was usually just Emmett. Something about the bubbles and the jets excited him, and the fact that he was forbidden to use it only caused his obsession to grow. He even went so far as to masturbate in it, although he would never tell anyone about that.

When he was fifteen, he became taken with the idea of having sex in his parents' Jacuzzi.

Jacuzzi sex.

If only the right girl would come along, he could plow her in the beautiful, bubbly, warm Jacuzzi, and it would be fanfuckingtastic.

Fast forward several years, and there was said perfect girl, and there was the Jacuzzi, plus they had the whole house to themselves and no parents to tell them 'no'.

He had a fleeting fear, as he grasped Bella's hand in his, leading her to the Jacuzzi, that his mother would know. After all, weren't all mother's psychic when it came to their children? And couldn't they smell sex on them, even see it, hear it? He tried to convince himself that Esme would be none the wiser, but he wasn't entirely sure. Still, he wasn't about to let his paranoia get the best of him. He was going to have sex in that Jacuzzi if it was the last thing he did!

Bella's giggles echoed off the walls as the four of them made their way. The brothers had already discarded their shirts, but she was fully clothed. That didn't last long, however, for as soon as they were within feet of the grand Jacuzzi, they began stripping Bella of her shirt and pants.

"Jeez, you guys are really excited." Bella moaned as Jasper suckled the skin under her ear.

"Excited is an understatement." Emmett informed her, a sly grin playing on his lips.

She smiled. "I can tell." And she could. Jasper and Edward's erections were already poking her body at various points as they undressed her, unable to contain their excitement. They had gotten her down to her bra and panties so far, but they were hindered by the distracting kisses and gropes.

Emmett had turned on the Jacuzzi as soon as they walked in. He turned back to his love, deciding that there were definitely no clothes allowed in the Jacuzzi. Nope, clothes were banned. Especially hers.

He approached her from the back, seeing as Jasper and Edward occupied the rest of her, and together they managed to unhook her bra in under a second, allowing her supple breasts to spill out. Emmett teased her nipples with his fingers.

"Emmett…" Bella let out a soft mewl, her head falling back onto his shoulder.

Jasper hooked his thumbs into the band of her panties, slipping them down her hips and to her feet. He gently lifted her legs one at a time to remove them.

"Ready love?" Edward asked, the excitement clear in his eyes. Bella had no idea why they were so eager to make love in the Jacuzzi, but now wasn't the time to ask. She just knew that she was about to enjoy it to the fullest.

Bella nodded her consent, and before she knew it she was being carried into the bubbling water in Emmett's strong arms.

Emmett seated himself in the wide Jacuzzi, a wide grin spreading across his face.

He looked at Bella. "Now we can get down to business."

Bella peered down, and sure enough, his cock was at full attention. All 7 ½ inches of it. She sighed in content, looking around and finding Edward and Jasper staring back at her with smiles on their faces and dicks at full mast.

She felt like she was in a porno.

"Come here, baby." Emmett grabbed hold of her hips and began kissing and sucking her pert breasts, his hands sliding down to her backside and kneading her buttocks. Edward and Jasper simply sat back and watched, gripping their cocks. For a brief moment, she wondered why they weren't joining in. That wasn't normal. Usually they were all over her, _in_ her. But she realized that her boys must have planned this out, maybe a long time ago. There was a method to Jacuzzi sex, perhaps even an instruction manual written by Emmett Cullen.

Emmett was taking it slow, intending to enjoy the experience for as long as possible. His cock rubbed against her stomach as they rocked back and forth. Bella wanted him to be inside of her now, but Emmett was resisting, which was so out of character that Bella almost wondered if an alien had taken over his body.

"Emmett, I want you." Bella begged.

He responded by inserting a finger into her pussy, plunging it in and out a few times, driving her crazy.

"Don't tease me." Bella pouted.

"Mmm, alright, baby Bella, I'll take care of you." Emmett cupped her ass, lifting her up so that her pussy was aligned with his erection. Poising himself at her entrance, he thrust upwards and drove into her.

They sighed together as he impaled her soft flesh. Emmett could feel the jets spurting out water in the small of his back, adding to his pleasure.

"Fuck! We need to do this more often." Emmett muttered, clutching at Bella's small, wet body like his life depended on it.

Bella whimpered, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Emmett began pumping into her faster, causing the water to splash around them and trickle over the sides of the Jacuzzi.

"Oh god, Emmett…" He was hitting her sweet spot with every thrust, sending her closer to the brink.

"Come on, baby, bounce on me." Emmett panted, sliding his hands beneath her ass to help her slam up and down on his cock. He sucked on her bouncing wet breasts, taming them with his lips and tongue.

Bella clenched her eyes shut, looking as if she were in pain. It just felt so good, and she was so hot from the water that she had trouble finding air to breathe in. She was already weak from the pleasure, already close to cumming. She was going to be useless when it was Jasper and Edward's turns.

"Oh shit!" It took just one more perfectly placed thrust to unravel her.

"That's my girl," Emmett patted her back with one hand and dug his fingers into her ass with the other one, continuing to plow into her, and drive a dozen little sounds of ecstasy from her as she rode out the remainder of her orgasm.

Maybe it was the fact that he was finally living out one of his fantasies, or maybe it was just a fluke, but Emmett found that his stamina was perfect today. He was harder than ever, and it took a good half an hour for him to cum. Bella was exhausted afterwards, but three orgasms will do that to you.

"Oh my god…" Bella grinned from ear to ear, panting. She could barely hold herself up, so she settled for floating on her back, drifting in the middle of her three lovers. How was she ever going to gather up the strength to fuck Jasper and Edward?

She felt a hand clasp around her right breast, then another on her left.

Jasper drifted towards her. He bent down to press his lips to her neck, his hand roaming from her breast down to her belly, until it finally reached her pussy.

"Ready for more, darling?" He smiled.

Bella groaned. How could she deny him? And did he_ have_ to be so sexy?

She could still feel the distinct throb between her legs. She was exhausted after being with Emmett, but damn, looking at the other two men with her, she wanted them. And she _did_ say she would fuck them all…

Bella reached under the water and grabbed Jasper's erect cock.

"Fuck!" He hissed.

Bella groaned. "Jasper, honey, I don't think I'm good for much at the moment."

She watched the recognition flood his face. He understood perfectly well. Sometimes having three boyfriends could be a little too much to deal with when it came to sex. Occasionally, she didn't have the strength to make love with them the way she wanted to, but she was almost always horny. Such a conundrum.

"Okay, darling. We'll take care of you." Jasper promised. He looked over at Emmett, who had the smuggest expression he'd ever seen.

"Proud of yourself?" Jasper sniggered.

Emmett shrugged. "Maybe…"

"You wore her out." Jasper stated it as a fact, rather than accusingly. It wasn't always easy to tire Bella sexually. She was just as insatiable as they were, sometimes moreso.

"Do you have any immediate plans to fuck me, or are you just going to keep talking about how someone else fucked me so hard that I can't stand up straight?" Bella asked, impatient.

They shared a collective chuckle at her expense. Jasper smoothed his hand over her breasts and belly as she lay afloat.

"Oh, don't you worry Miss. Mercury, I plan to fuck you real good. You think you can't stand up straight right now? Just wait until I'm done with you."

And with that he proceeded to lift her up and, sitting down in the Jacuzzi, he situated her so that his chest was to her back. He sunk into her wet, warm folds, his hands cupping her breasts.

Edward, thinking quite rightly that Bella wouldn't be up for a round three, decided that there was no time like the present. Bella eagerly took him into her mouth.

Emmett watched from barely a foot away, trying hard _not_ to get hard again, but realizing he wasn't succeeding.

Oh well, nothing like a good jerking-off session in his parents' Jacuzzi.

He watched his brothers and Bella for a good ten minutes or so. Edward came first, followed by Jasper a minute later. And Jasper was right; if Bella was exhausted before, she was definitely incapacitated now.

"Oh my Jesus…" Bella was once again afloat, feeling boneless. "Well, I hope you're happy now, Em." She beamed, her face glowing after being sated ten times over.

"Oh, I am, I am." Emmett yawned. Having sex in a heated Jacuzzi was wonderful, but it certainly made him tired. Maybe it was time to leave the Jacuzzi of Love. Emmett had a feeling there was a good amount of jizz and lady cum in there, and while he wasn't normally grossed out by bodily fluids, the idea of his brothers' sperm floating around him made him want to vomit into a rather large bucket.

"Time to go." Emmett said. "Anyone else hungry?"

"Yes." The three of them replied.

"I'll whip something up." Jasper offered, knowing full well how incapable Emmett was in the kitchen.

"Oh shit." Emmett was already out of the Jacuzzi and drying himself off when he noticed the clear puddles of water assaulting the floor around it. They must have splashed around more than he realized.

"Fuck…" Emmett surveyed the mess with guilt. "We'll have to clean it up."

Edward wrapped a towel around his waist. "I'll help you."

He turned to Bella. "Ready to go, love, or do you want to stay a little longer?"

She frowned. "I want to go, but I'm pretty sure I can't walk. You bastards."

Jasper snorted. She was so cute. "It's alright, darling, I've got you." He kissed her on the lips, stepping out of the Jacuzzi to dry off. "Okay, baby, come here."

"We'll go grab some stuff to clean this shit up with," Emmett said. He and Edward quickly left, leaving a short trail of water in their wake. Jasper was amused by the look of utter panic on Emmett's face. He really _was_ terrified of their mom finding out. And Emmett was not one to scare easily.

Bella made the short swim over to Jasper, who had a towel at the ready. He dried her off, then wrapped it around her. Bella draped her arms loosely over his neck as he picked her up.

"Where shall we go, darling? Kitchen? Bedroom? Den?"

Bella thought about it for a second. "Mmm, kitchen. I can watch you cook."

"You sure you'll be comfortable enough?" They had been, um, fairly active with her for the better part of an hour. He didn't like the idea of her sitting in a hard wooden chair.

"I'm sure," Bella said, "I'll just lay on the couch."

"There isn't a couch in the kitchen, Bella." Jasper reminded her.

Bella's face scrunched up in thought. "Isn't there one near it?"

"In the next room, sure."

"Can I watch you cook from there?"

"No, since there's a wall between them." Jasper laughed. "You're really out of it, aren't you?"

Bella looked unhappy to admit it, but yes, yes she was.

"I think it's time for you to take a nap." Jasper said.

Bella pouted. "But I wanted to watch you cook. Naked."

"Naked?" Jasper liked the idea. It had been awhile since they did that. "Next time, I promise. We can have a naked breakfast."

"Mm, okay." Bella settled her head on his shoulder and let him walk her up the stairs and into their bedroom. He gently laid her onto their bed, kissing her forehead.

"I feel like a little baby." Bella commented.

"Well, you_ are _my baby, so that's rather fitting, darling."

Jasper made sure she had been properly toweled off before he let her go, which meant a thorough inspection from head to toe. He had a difficult time not jumping on top of her and giving her another thrill, but she really did look tired, and her pussy had been worked over enough for one day.

"Okay, darling, I'll let you rest. Do you want me to get you up when dinner is ready?"

"Sure." Bella yawned. She rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. Jasper was surprised how quickly she fell asleep, and he decided that it might be better if he didn't wake her too soon.

Emmett and Edward had just finished sopping up the water when he went downstairs. Edward held several soaking wet cloths in his hands, and Emmett had a bucket and mop.

"I think it's okay now," Emmett said, the distress apparent on his face. "You don't think she'll know, do you?"

Jasper began taking food out of the fridge. "I doubt it, Em. Mom isn't psychic."

"Of course she is!" Emmett plopped down on a chair next to the kitchen table. "I bet she knows right now. She can sense it. Moms know these things…"

Edward took a seat across from him. "Relax, Emmett. She won't know we were even near the Jacuzzi. Besides, we're grown men now, not kids. I'm sure she wouldn't be too upset if she knew we used it."

Jasper had to laugh. "I'm pretty damn sure she wouldn't be happy knowing what we _did_ in it."

Edward blushed. "Yeah, you're right." He looked at Emmett, who appeared absolutely terrified at the idea. "She won't find out, Emmett. There's no way she could."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Emmett shook his head, trying to get the image of his mom confronting him with his pervy deeds out of his head.

Edward cleared his throat. "Moving on...did something happen while you guys were out today?"

Jasper stopped what he was doing and peered at his younger brother, anger and consternation painting his face. "Why do you ask?"

"Bella seemed weird when you got back, like she was hiding something."

Damn, he _was _being observant, wasn't he…

Emmett nodded. "Well, I guess there's no sense in hiding it. We were going to mention it later, and I guess now's a good a time as any. Don't tell Bella we told you, though."

Edward frowned. "What the hell happened?"

Jasper groaned. "Guess."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"Professor Douchebag Wesley." Jasper enunciated each word by banging the spoon he was using on the counter.

"You ran into him?" Edward asked, incredulous.

"Well not exactly." Jasper said, grasping the edge of the counter, his knuckled turning white. "We saw him in the market parking lot as we were leaving. Never talked to the fucker."

Edward was relieved by that. "Good. I don't want him talking to Bella anymore. I don't ever want to see him again."

"Yeah, he better stay the fuck away. The way he looks at her…" Jasper clenched his fists, "makes my blood boil."

Edward looked to Emmett then, assuming he'd agree. Perhaps they could devise some way of avoiding the starry-eyed professor. Instead, he found that his little brother was even more stressed out now than he had been a few minutes earlier.

"What's wrong?" Was he thinking about the Jacuzzi mess again?

"Nothing…" Emmett lied, refusing to meet his eyes.

Jasper paused as he made dinner. "Emmett, what are you hiding?"

Damn, he couldn't fool anyone, could he? He needed to learn how to lie more convincingly.

Well, screw it. Might as well come out with it.

"That thing about only seeing Bella's teacher in the parking lot…isn't entirely true." Emmett could see the alarm in his brothers' eyes. They were going to be furious, and he really wished he wasn't telling them this.

"We saw him in the market. I ran into him there."

"What?" Jasper growled. "What happened? Did he say anything?"

"Did he talk to Bella?" Edward wanted to know.

"Jesus, calm your tits." Emmett said. "We didn't say anything to each other. I just…saw him…"

"And Bella?" Jasper prodded.

"She saw him, too."

"Did they talk?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"Well I wasn't there, Jazz. Bella went off by herself for awhile, remember? There's a strong possibility that she ran into him at some point…I didn't actually ask."

"You should have." Jasper placed the food he'd prepared in the oven then sat, fuming, next to Edward. "I feel like I shouldn't be this angry," he said, "but I also feel like I'm right to be. That guy doesn't sit right with me, and it isn't just because he has a crush on our Bella."

"I agree." Edward said. "There's something unsettling about him, and I can't pinpoint what it is. He doesn't even seem like a bastard, but there's something off about him."

Emmett chuckled. "Maybe we're just jealous." But he knew it was more than that.

"I'll have a talk with Bella later." Jasper said, ignoring Emmett's comment.

"She probably won't want to talk about it," Emmett said, "besides, I already asked her if anything was going on, and she said there wasn't."

Jasper's head snapped in his direction. "What do you mean 'if anything is going on'?"

Emmett heaved a big sigh, tugging at his hair. "I asked her if he had done anything inappropriate, like said anything or…touched her, and she said nothing ever happened."

"Did you believe her?"

"Yes." Emmett looked Jasper dead in the eye. "She wouldn't lie about that."

Jasper had a feeling she _would_ lie if she felt it was best, but maybe Emmett was right. He still wanted to talk to her about it, though.

"Okay, maybe nothing _did _happen, but I have a bad feeling about that guy. I need to ask her myself…even if it's just to make myself feel better."

"Well do that. Meanwhile, I'm fucking hungry. When's dinner going to be done?" Emmett asked, happily diverting the disturbing subject matter until another time.

After all, this was supposed to be a happy time. They were staying in their parents' house with all the luxuries they could want, and tomorrow was Edward's birthday. He didn't want anything to stain it, but of course, as had been proved only recently, sometimes things happened that were wholly unexpected.

**A/N** Please review!


	15. Birthday Hump

Disclaimer: If I owned anything related to Twilight, I would be so rich…so, so rich. So, so, so rich. *sigh* What were we talking about?

**A/N** So, I know some people are still wishing I'd update more often, but I really am working on other books at the moment. I need to make money. =/ I've also been dealing with some emotional issues over the past few weeks, and I need to clear my head a bit and get back on track. Let's hope I get there fast!

Adore

Chapter 14 –Birthday Hump

Bella awoke to the sound of a soft thump greeting her ears and the feather light touch of a hand sweeping across her cheek.

Jasper?

Her eyes flew open. It took a few moments to fully wake up and gather her bearings, but she managed to quickly assess her surroundings. She was in their big makeshift bed, and it was still light outside. Jasper was nowhere in sight. In fact, she was quite alone in the room. Weird, she could have sworn someone had just touched her…

And she was pretty much naked. She'd been wearing a towel earlier, but it seemed to have fallen from her body while she slept. She was covered in goose bumps, thanks to the central air constantly running.

She maneuvered herself out of bed, quickly finding one of Jasper's t-shirts and throwing it on. She shivered, feeling oddly vulnerable standing there, half-naked and alone. The house was perfectly silent aside from the cool air permeating the room. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt uncomfortable. She has the distinct feeling that someone else had been in the room with her a moment ago, that a presence had been in there, watching her.

It was silly, of course. One of her boys had probably just come in to check on her. There was nothing to be paranoid about.

The memory of the man who had broken into the house and assaulted her flashed through her mind, and she felt the paranoia come back full force.

_Don't think about him. No one's in the house. No one is trying to get you._

Bella hugged herself, deciding that she should go downstairs and find her boys, but the moment she made the decision, her eyes landed on the closet across the room, which stood ajar. Another spike of fear pierced her.

_Don't be silly, Bella! This isn't a movie or some silly horror novel. People don't hide in closets in real life. No one is in the closet. Got it?_

She couldn't tear her eyes away from it, though. What if someone was in there, and the moment she turned away they jumped out at her? She wanted to call out, but was afraid of the consequences of it if there actually_ was_ someone in there. And what if…what if they had hurt her boys while she was sleeping?

She was on the verge of tears, both due to her terror and her silliness. She cowered in her paranoia whilst criticizing herself for being so s_mall_, so irrational and cowardly. Wasn't she stronger than this? Was she really going to let a punch in the face take her down? No. If there was some douchebag in the closet, she was going to kick his ass. Because she was Bella Mercury, and Bella Mercury was not a damn weakling, and she certainly wasn't a coward…

So why was she on the verge of a panic attack?

She was torn between fleeing the room and approaching the closet. What were the chances someone was actually in there? Very, very slim.

Then she recalled the moment right before she woke up. She'd heard something, felt something, someone. They had touched her…or was it all a dream? Or maybe one of the boys _had_ come in and left before she fully awoke…

She had to know.

* * *

><p>Jasper had been carefully observing Edward for the past hour. Discreetly, of course. Did he seriously not know his birthday was tomorrow? Was he that blind to the clues? That just wasn't normal, forgetting your birthday like that. Sure, you can hate your birthday; that was common, but forgetting it altogether was just weird. Maybe he was pretending he didn't know…<p>

"What are you looking at?" Edward had finally taken notice of Jasper's sideways glances.

Jasper straightened up. The three of them were seated at the dining room table playing cards. Emmett had won the last two rounds, being the least distracted. Jasper was watching Edward, and Edward's mind was somewhere else.

"I'm just trying to see if you have your poker face on." Jasper lied.

Edward's lips curled up to one side. "I don't _have _a poker face."

Jasper shrugged. "You could be lying…"

"I'm not good at cards. There's no point trying to bluff my way through it. Emmett's the one with the talent. He's good at it, I suck."

"I'm good at everything." Emmett said.

"I can name ten things you can't do," Jasper warned him, "don't make me say them."

Emmett frowned. "Bastard." He laid his cards on the table, a triumphant grin lighting up his face. "I win."

Jasper rolled his eyes. "This isn't even fun."

"Yeah, you're right. I need a challenge for it to be fun." Emmett quipped.

"You should do some laundry. That's always a challenge for you." Edward said.

"Hey, that was unnecessary. I can't help it if laundry detergent hates me. It's a curse. Practically a medical condition!"

"Sure it is. It _must _be a curse." Edward snorted.

Jasper grunted, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Whatever guys. I'm gonna go check on Bella. It's getting late."

Emmett smiled, thinking back to that afternoon in the Jacuzzi. "We really did wear her out, didn't we? I can't believe she's been sleeping this long."

It had been almost two hours, they realized, looking at the clock. They'd already eaten dinner, deciding that it was best if Bella got some rest. She could always eat later. But if she didn't get up soon, she would be wide awake long into the morning.

But it sounded as if she was already up. They were suddenly aware of movement above their heads. She must be walking around, probably on her way down.

"Aww, and here I was looking forward to kissing her awake." Jasper sighed, genuinely disappointed. He got up and headed for the stairs. If he couldn't kiss her awake, maybe he could still dress her.

She wasn't coming down the stairs like he thought she might be. Instead, he heard the soft click of a door shutting. Probably the bedroom door. When he went inside, he found her standing by the closet, which was wide open. She gasped when he came in, obviously startled.

"Hey darling, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just…checking the closet." Bella blushed for reasons unknown to him.

"What are you checking it for?" Jasper had to admit, he rather enjoyed the way she struggled to come up with an answer, and how her cheeks continued to redden.

"Um, mice."

"Mice?"

"Yeah, I thought I heard one skittering around." Bella closed the closet door.

"And did you find any?" Jasper asked, amused.

"Nope. Just clothing. No rodents in sight." Bella feigned a grin.

Jasper fixed her with a hard gaze. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Bella insisted, embarrassed.

What the hell was she so embarrassed about? He wondered.

"Just tell me, darling. It can't be that bad." Jasper brushed a hand through her tousled hair.

"I feel silly…" Bella closed her eyes, unable to hold his stare.

"What is it? Come on, baby, I'm sure you've told me things a thousand times worse."

And she had. Several times.

Bella took a deep breath. "Okay…I thought…there might be someone in the closet." She waited for him to laugh, or roll his eyes, anything, but he simply just stared at her.

"I'm sorry," she continued, "I'm paranoid, I know. I'm trying not to be. I just keep thinking about it…"

She didn't need to elaborate on what_ it_ was. He glanced at the bruise on her face, his anger flaring up once again. He took her face into his hands, gazing directly into her eyes. "We'll find him, I promise. I won't let him hurt you again."

Bella nodded. "I know. I just keep thinking…what if he breaks in again? What if he didn't get what he wanted last time and he still wants it?"

Jasper clenched his eyes shut, attempting to quell his rage, because he couldn't help but think that the thing that bastard wanted was Bella. He didn't know why, but the idea wouldn't leave his mind. He wished he wasn't so fucking paranoid about it, but he was.

"He won't be that stupid. He knows people are looking for him. He's got a bunch of theft charges on him, and now he'll have assault to add to that. He's a wanted man, and he knows it. If he's smart, he'll be far away by now."

"You're right, I just…I try not to, but I think about it sometimes, especially when I'm alone. I keep expecting him to pop up out of the shadows and…closets." She suddenly threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. "My therapist is going to love this." She began sobbing, but Jasper had to admire her sense of humor at such a time.

He was going to kill the bastard.

He hugged her tighter. "You wanna go downstairs and talk to us about it? You have nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetie. You were attacked, it's normal to be worried. It'd be weird if you _weren't_ affected by it."

"I know, but I feel like such a wuss."

"Bella, you bashed the guy with a lamp. That is not the action of a wuss, that's the action of a fighter. Personally, I think you'd do very well in pro-wrestling, but that's just me."

Bella laughed. "Maybe we can talk about it another time? I just want to relax and watch a movie."

Jasper ran his hand up and down her back. "Alright. But we'll have a talk soon, okay?"

_And not just about this_. Jasper hadn't forgotten about the little talk he planned to have with her about Professor Wesley, but now was not the time.

Jasper grabbed a pair of sweats for her to wear, and then they headed back down.

Emmett was thrilled at Bella's suggestion that they watch a movie. They settled on a kung fu film, and Jasper decided that Bella should eat during the movie. She must be starving.

"Thanks, baby." Bella smiled as Jasper handed her the dish. She snuggled up in Emmett's lap as the movie started, her fears from earlier forgotten for the time being.

* * *

><p>"How are we going to do this?"<p>

"You jump on him, we'll stand on the sidelines and start singing."

"Won't he be angry?"

"Of course not, because you'll be on top of him."

"Is it too early, though? Maybe we should let him sleep a little longer."

"Nah, if _we_ can get up early, so can he."

"It's his birthday, Emmett, we shouldn't do anything he doesn't like. If fact, it's a law. When it's your birthday, you have to sleep in."

Emmett thought about what Bella was saying, but frankly he was too keen on giving Edward an early morning surprise to give up the idea. It's not as if Edward was_ that_ fond of sleeping.

"He doesn't even like his birthday." Emmett countered.

"Yes, but _I_ like his birthday, and so do you." Bella pointed out.

"Yes, I like it so much that I want to celebrate it now. I want cake."

"For breakfast?"

"For breakfast, lunch, mid-day snack, dinner, and midnight snack."

"I have no idea how you stay slim, Emmett." Bella poked his stomach, but all she felt was hard muscle.

"That's because I have amazing genes and a fantastic workout ethic."

"I can't even remember the last time you went to the gym." Bella said.

"Well, I consider sex a workout, so you could easily say I was at the gym yesterday."

They were seated on the couch in the living room. It was 9am, not terribly early, but still early, according to Bella. Edward should be able to sleep another hour at least, especially since it was his birthday. In fact, if Emmett wasn't so pumped up about it, _he_ would be sleeping right now, too. It was cute how enthusiastic he was about their birthdays, but perhaps he was_ too_ enthusiastic.

"Are you two being silly again?" Jasper walked in, fresh out of the shower. He was still toweling his hair when he interrupted their friendly debate.

"Yes, Bella is being_ very_ silly." Emmett told him. "I'm getting to the point where I think she needs a spanking."

Bella stuck her tongue out at him. "You just enjoy perving on my ass."

"I just believe in disciplining you when necessary, and if that happens to mean slapping your bare ass, then so be it."

Bella shook her head. "My boyfriend is a pervert."

"You never complained before." Emmett winked.

Jasper sat down across from them. "So…what are you arguing about?"

"I was telling her my strategy for waking Edward up, and she doesn't like it." Emmett said.

Bella rolled her eyes. "He wants me to jump on him while you two sing 'Happy Birthday.'"

"Um, no." Jasper chuckled at Emmett. "Although I'm sure he'd enjoy waking up to Bella straddling him. Let's not give him a heart attack, though."

"He'll love it." Emmett argued.

"How about this; Bella can wake him up when she feels it's time. Sound good? He'll enjoy that more than us barging in and embarrassing him." Jasper said.

Emmett frowned. "I hate you."

"Because I'm sensible?"

"Yes."

Bella stood up. "Okaaaay, I'm going to go lay down in bed and wait for him to wake up. Maybe you two can make sure all of his presents are wrapped."

"Alright _mom_." Emmett squinted at her. He struck her as an overgrown child.

"If you're not careful, my son, you shan't get no blow job today!" And with that she left the room.

Emmett pouted. "That was unnecessarily cruel."

* * *

><p>Bella made sure they weren't going to follow her before she went upstairs. She poked her head into the bedroom. Edward was still asleep in bed. It was hard to tell with them. Sometimes they feigned sleep, for one reason or another, but after being with them for as long as she had, she liked to think she'd acquired a talent for telling the difference, and as far as she could ascertain, he was asleep.<p>

Good!

Bella crept down the hallway, heading for one of the guest bedrooms. She double checked that neither Emmett nor Jasper were sneaking about, and when she felt certain that she was in the clear, she went inside and closed the door.

She'd hidden the bag in one of the dresser drawers, underneath a pile of linens that Esme stored in there. She pulled it out and dumped the contents onto the bed. Bella grinned, picking up the skimpy lingerie and assessing it. She couldn't believe she'd managed to keep it hidden from the boys all this time. She'd bought it when they went shopping together at the mall. It was for Edward's birthday.

She held it in front of her, pleased with her choice. It was a pink, lacy babydoll. It even came with a garter belt. This wouldn't be the first time she attempted wearing sexy lingerie, but she didn't do it very often, and she was still insecure about it.

Still, it was Edward's birthday, and she knew he'd love it. Emmett's idea that she should wake him up by jumping on him wasn't actually a bad idea…she just didn't want him and Jasper in the room when she did it.

She shimmied into the panties first, then the babydoll. The garter belt gave her a hard time for a few minutes, but she finally managed to get it right. She looked at herself in the mirror.

_Damn, this really gives me boobs_.

She really was too skinny, though. Once upon a time, she had curves. Not major curves, but they were there. Now she barely had any cleavage to speak of. Oh well, she thought. They loved her no matter what she looked like, and Jasper's fantastic cooking was probably going to put an extra ten pounds on her soon enough if he kept feeding her the way he was.

Bella tip-toed back into the hallway. She was paranoid for sure. What if they were listening to her footsteps from downstairs and pin-pointing where she was at that exact moment?

_Okay, Bella, that's insane. Calm down. Just walk to the bedroom and jump on Edward. Piece of cake._

Luckily, he was still sleeping when she crept into the room. She had to smile. He was adorable, and pretty damn hot, if she did say so herself. She almost didn't want to wake him.

Bella peeled the covers off of him, exposing his bare chest and boxer-clad lower half. She crawled onto the bed, straddling him. His face scrunched up in a frown, but he didn't open his eyes.

_Time to take it to the next level_.

Edward awoke to a raging boner and the sensation that something was tickling his chest hairs. He slowly opened his eyes.

"Happy birthday, baby." Bella smiled down at him.

Edward blinked.

_What the hell?_

As his vision cleared, he became aware of the fact that Bella was sitting on him, and she looked…different. Was that pink lace he was seeing? And did she say something about a birthday? And why did his cock feel so good?

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Edward, happy birthday to you…" Soft kisses touched his chest as she sang, her lips trailing down to his ever-growing groin, which she was fondling gingerly with her hand.

Edward quickly felt the effects of sleep drifting away as he fully registered four things that he now knew to be true: (1) Bella was on top of him wearing something pink, and damn it turned him on. (2) It was his birthday. (3) He was 28. What the hell…, and (4) Bella's lips were wrapped around his cock.

_Happy fucking birthday to me…_

How had he forgotten it was his birthday? Well, at this very moment, he didn't truly care. But if this was how his birthday was starting, well…it was a damned good birthday already.

He groaned as Bella worked on his throbbing erection.

"Oh god, love, I didn't even know it was my birthday. You didn't have to do…this…fuck!" He hissed as he hit the back of her throat. He could see Bella trying not to smile as she pleasured him, but it was hard not to feel some degree of satisfaction. She should make this a birthday tradition. Jasper and Edward would never forget their birthdays again!

Edward lay there afterwards in a state of bliss.

Bella giggled, her head on his chest. "You know, we should go downstairs soon. You still have a lot of birthday left."

Edward cocked his eyebrows. "Oh yeah? What do you have planned, love?" He stroked her long hair, completely happy to remain this way for his whole birthday.

"The usual presents and cake. And we can do whatever you want. It's your day, after all." She kissed his stomach.

Edward shuddered. "Well if that's the case, I vote we stay in bed."

"Don't you want your gifts?"

"I can open them later. I can even open them up here. But, and this is a must, you really need to not wear clothes the rest of the day." Edward glided his hand over her ass. She was still wearing the pink lace babydoll. She looked delicious in it, but all he wanted to do was tear it off.

"Is that a birthday rule, now?" Bella asked.

"Oh yes, it's a new rule that you must abide by. You either have to be naked or almost naked. At all times." Edward appeared so serious that Bella thought he might actually be…serious.

"Well, I think I'm ahead of you on that. I must be psychic." Bella wiggled her brows, causing Edward to laugh. He slid his hand underneath the gown, brushing his palm against her heated pussy.

"That you are, love." In one motion, he flipped her onto her back. He was hard again, much to Bella's delight. "And I think you should be rewarded for knowing me so well."

Unfortunately for them, Emmett had grown curious as to what Bella was doing, and decided to retreat into the bedroom to investigate. At that very moment, he burst through the door.

"Argh, you should have told us you were planning to have some sexytime. I would totally have gotten naked for it." Emmett strode over to the bed. Edward and Bella looked up, feeling awkward under his gaze.

"Um, we're kind of busy, Em." Bella said.

Emmett's face dropped. "I can't join in?"

Bella cleared her throat, hyper aware that the tip of Edward's cock was poking past her nether lips. "Well no, Em, it's Edward's birthday…"

Emmett sighed. "Oh fine. But we're doing presents afterwards, okay?"

Edward and Bella nodded.

"Good. And be quick about it." Emmett left, slowly shutting the door.

Bella and Edward looked at each other, both of their faces etched with amusement.

"Now, where were we?" And with that, Edward thrust into her.

* * *

><p>Over the next several hours, Edward could safely say that this was easily one of the best birthdays he'd ever had. First, he'd woken up to the love of his life pleasuring him, and now this. He'd never been a big fan of birthday gifts, but he really had to hand it to his brothers and Bella; they put a lot of thought into what to get him. There were things even <em>he <em>wouldn't think to get himself.

Emmett had gone the naughtiest route, buying an assortment of sex toys for his brother as well as a digital camcorder that he and Bella bought together.

"So we can record ourselves having sex!" Emmett had explained, all too happy at the prospect, in Edward's opinion. But he did appreciate it. There was so much he could film, and yes, some of it was…dirty.

Bella had also sprung for some sexy lingerie, which he had been lucky enough to see (and tear off) earlier in the day. She'd bought more, she told him earlier. He'd just have to wait to see it.

Jasper, as it happened, has been the most surprising, but he shouldn't have been as surprised as he was. Jasper was probably one of the most thoughtful people he knew. He knew how to hit the right notes, so to speak.

He bought him two tickets to a piano concert in Seattle for the following month.

"I figured you and Bella could use it for date night." He said, vaguely uncomfortable under Edward's stunned eyes.

"Jasper…this is one of my favorite pianists." Edward whispered, the tickets grasped in his hands mid-air. "How did you know?"

Jasper shrugged. "I'm not blind, you know. I've looked at your CD collection before, and you're always playing something or other when you drive. So I looked this guy up and saw he was coming to Seattle soon…I thought you might enjoy it."

Edward's mouth was agape. Did this mean Jasper wasn't still furious with him? He couldn't very well ask him, but perhaps he should take this as a sign that he was on his way to forgiving him. He could hope…

"Thank you." Edward looked at Bella. "Looks like we know what to do for our date night."

"That's all good and well," Emmett interjected, "but you know what time it is?"

Edward frowned. "No?"

"It's time for cake!"

**A/N **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!


	16. The Man is Obsessed

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. But I do own the sex scenes I write!

Adore

Chapter 15 –The Man is Obsessed

One of the things Jasper remembered not-so-fondly about the beginning of his relationship with Bella were all the times he and his brothers would wake up to find Bella missing. He'd probably had about ten heart attacks in those first few months. He remembered finding her in the woods once and cleaning the cuts on her feet. He remembered not being able to sleep properly for days afterwards in fear of waking up and finding her gone. There had been dreams, too. Dreams in which she'd disappeared in her sleep, vanishing into the night, only this time they never found her.

It had been a long time since it last happened. Bella still had some issues she needed to conquer, but they weren't so bad that she started sleepwalking again.

And yet, it was 3am, and something was wrong.

They'd spent the night celebrating Edward's birthday, although they opted to stay in to eat rather than go out. Instead, they chose to have too much cake and a movie marathon that lasted until 1am. It rendered the four of them unconscious as soon as they lay down in bed.

Jasper's eyes flew open, his gaze immediately finding the clock he had placed on the floor next to their makeshift bed. He frowned, confused as to what woke him up at 3:07am. He was exhausted, yet he found himself oddly wired. He groaned, rolling onto his back and peering at his sleeping brothers. Whatever had woken him certainly hadn't interrupted their sleep. It took him a few seconds to register that the space next to him was empty.

Bella.

Where was she?

He sat up, a sense of déjà vu overcoming him. A familiar terror poked at his gut. It was probably because of Bella's recent attack that he was so worried, but really, he thought, there was nothing abnormal about her being out of bed. Maybe she was simply in the bathroom, or getting a glass of water. It wasn't as if she never did those things in the middle of the night. There was no need to panic…

Jasper ran his hand over the spot where she had been laying next to him, expecting (and hoping) to find that it was warm, but it wasn't. It was cold.

Before he really processed this fact, he was already half way across the room, flooded with worry. A million thoughts crossed his mind, each one worst than the last.

He tore into the hallway, noting that the hall light wasn't on. Or the bathroom light, which she clearly wasn't in. He checked all of the rooms upstairs before he ran down to the first floor. He switched on every light as he entered each room, hoping that she would be revealed in the light, but she was nowhere. The downstairs was just as void of Bella as the upstairs.

She couldn't be hiding…the house was fully lit up. He reminded himself that the alarm hadn't gone off, so it was unlikely that she had gone out or someone else had come in. Nothing in the house appeared to have been disturbed. Every door was shut, every window in tact.

"Bella!" He called out to her every few seconds, but heard nothing in response. Maybe he should wake his brothers, he thought. For some reason, though, he didn't want to. She couldn't be far, after all.

Jasper stood still in the downstairs hallway for a minute, listening for any noise he might otherwise be missing. Any rustle, scrape, whisper, and he would be on it.

But nothing interrupted the silence.

He suddenly felt like a fool when it finally hit him.

The basement!

He hadn't even thought of it, but now that it had occurred to him, he was terrified of what could happen to a sleep-walker who ventured unconsciously down a flight of stairs. She might be lying at the bottom, bleeding or dead.

The first thing Jasper noticed was that the door was ajar. He must have completely missed it when he walked past earlier. The lights were off down there. Jasper stood at the top, hesitant to flip the switch in fear of seeing Bella sprawled out at the bottom.

But when he flicked on the light, all he saw was the off-white carpeting. No Bella in sight, and certainly no blood. He heaved a sigh of relief before descending the stairs.

He didn't have far to look. She was by the basement couch just…standing there.

"Bella!" Jasper only observed her for a moment. He quickly drew her into his arms, shaking her awake, for it was obvious she was still asleep. He found himself brushing away his own tears as he hugged her close. He honestly thought that something might have happened to her.

He felt Bella's arms encase him tightly in the next few seconds.

"Jasper? What happened?" Bella asked, confused. Jasper wondered why she wasn't panicking like he was, but then he realized that she had just woken up and probably hadn't noticed that she was in the basement, of all places.

"You were sleepwalking, darling." Jasper pulled her closer to him. "I was so scared when I saw you were gone."

"Oh my god…" Bella buried her face in his neck, her voice shaking. "I can't believe I did that again. I was being so good about it."

"It's not your fault." Jasper said, pulling back to have a good look at her. "You have a lot on your mind, and I can tell you're worried."

Bella nodded, embarrassed.

"It's okay, just take a moment to really wake up. Do you want a glass of water or anything?" Jasper moved his hands over her face, double and triple-checking that she wasn't hurt. He checked her arms and legs, too, making sure she was in one piece.

"Jasper, I'm fine." Bella said, smiling. He was cute when he was being overprotective.

Jasper was on his knees, examining her legs. She had a couple of bruises on her right knee, but nothing alarming. He finally felt the adrenaline rush he'd be experiencing since he woke up subside.

"You're not." Jasper looked up at her, his eyes sad. "You don't need to hide it from me."

She stared at him, her mouth hanging open, unsure of how to respond. "I know."

"Yet you keep trying to hide your feelings." Jasper ran the palms of his hands up and down her backside. "Stop."

Bella shivered. "I'm sorry. But I really am fine. I just hate sleepwalking, you know that."

Jasper glared at her. "Bella, you know that's not what I mean."

She cowered at the look he was giving her. Bella had the damndest time lying to him when he gave her that look. He had such a fire in his eyes, and it intimidated her, although she was loathed to admit it. He could be so dominating at times, but she knew he was only worried about her.

"What do you mean, then?" Bella asked, sounding as innocent as could be.

Jasper narrowed his eyes. "Why can't you be straight with me?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about!"

Jasper's eyes softened. He sighed. "Maybe you don't." But he knew she did.

He averted his eyes, gazing at her oversized t-shirt instead. He rubbed circles into her ass cheeks with us thumbs, gazing intently at her core. Bella watched the top of his head, nervously awaiting his next move. It was hard to tell what he'd do when he was moody. She hoped they'd simply go back to bed and that would be that –

She gasped as Jasper pressed a fierce kiss to her core. He lifted her shirt up over her belly, flicking his tongue across her clothed pussy. Bella didn't hesitate to oblige by pulling it the rest of the way off. Jasper disposed of her panties, his gaze never straying from her pussy.

Bella grabbed onto his hair as he began tonguing her. "Jasper…"

He swiftly stood up and sat her down on the couch, spreading her legs.

Bella moaned. This was _not_ the reaction she was expecting. She laid her head back on the cushions, her thoughts gradually coming to a stop as she let her mind shut down, instead just allowing herself to feel what Jasper was doing to her; every swipe of his tongue, the pressure of his lips wrapped around her clit, the pull of his mouth as he sucked on her. It took her to the edge in no time, and the next thing she knew she was snuggled in Jasper's arms, a satisfied smirk on his lips. He grabbed a blanket that was hanging over the back of the couch and wrapped it around her.

"Damn," Bella giggled, "I need to sleepwalk more often."

Jasper pinched her butt in response. "No, I_ need_ to start handcuffing you to the bed. You could have killed yourself going down the stairs! Do you know how lucky you are? You went down not one, but two flights of stairs while you were _sleeping_."

Bella sat up, getting a better look at him. "I know, but it's not like I meant to do it. Anyway, I'm not hurt. I never _really_ hurt myself when I sleepwalk."

"Which is a miracle in itself." Jasper said. "We'll need to take care of this fast."

"Jasper, you are not handcuffing me to the bed. Or anything else for that matter!"

"Well, we have to do something. What if this keeps happening? You might actually get hurt next time, or the time after that. That's unacceptable."

Bella stared at him, trying to think of what she could say to calm him down, but Jasper wasn't the easiest guy to calm down. "We'll figure it out." And they would. They always did.

Jasper nodded, a deep frown on his forehead. "Bella, I know this isn't the right time, but we need to have a talk. Soon."

She wasn't sure what to say to that, but she knew she should be apprehensive. She wasn't going to like whatever it was he wanted to say.

"Let's talk about it now." She said.

Jasper looked puzzled. "Now? Aren't you tired?"

Bella shrugged. "Not really. I feel wide awake now. I'm almost afraid to go back to sleep. Besides, we _do_ need to talk, so maybe we should just get it over with."

Jasper drew her close again. "Everything's going to be alright. As long as we don't keep secrets from each other, we can handle anything that comes our way."

Bella broke eye contact with him then, a blush painting her cheeks. Jasper could feel his anger rise slightly at this. Normally, he would find her blushes adorable and provocative, but not this time. Right then, he saw it as further proof that his suspicions were correct.

She was lying. She was keeping secrets, and he had every intention of prying every single one out of her as soon as possible. He just hoped they weren't so horrible that he became murderous.

They sat in silence for a moment, both quiet and contemplating. The more she thought about it, the more anxious Bella became. She stood up and walked for a few feet before turning back to face Jasper.

"Maybe we _should_ wait. Don't you think Edward and Emmett should be here for this?"

"No."

"Why not? You're just going to have to tell them everything later."

"Bella, we're doing this now, and I know you. If there are three of us here, you'll feel even more nervous and ganged-up on. If there's anything they need to know, we'll tell them tomorrow. There's no point ruining their sleep along with our own." Jasper stood up and put his arm around her, gently but firmly leading her back to the couch and letting her know that he needed her close for this talk.

He sat her on his lap, wrapping the blanket around her again. It was summer, but the air conditioning was making the house chilly, and he had a feeling that Bella needed the extra comfort.

"Where should we start?" She asked.

Jasper shook his head. "Well, there's something I want to ask you about, and I guess there's something on your mind, too?"

Bella nodded. "You go first. Yours might be worse."

Jasper cocked his eyebrow, amused. "You think so?"

"Well you look so serious and angry, so it must be something bad. You're not going to yell at me are you? Because if you are, I want Emmett with me." Bella almost laughed at the expression on Jasper's face.

"Bella, I'm not going to yell at you. Even if I'm enraged. I know you haven't done anything wrong, and I don't want to take my anger out on you. Anyone but you." He kissed her on the lips. "And I resent that you seem to think you need Emmett to protect you from me."

Bella grinned. "He's my cuddly bear!" She explained. "You've yelled at me before, you know. I need someone here to be on my side."

Jasper's face sobered. "Bella, I'm always on your side."

But he could tell she didn't honestly believe that. It made him want to cry.

"I know I've gotten pissed off before, and I've taken it out on you, but I was always on your side. I was just terrified of losing you, or that you'd get hurt. But I would never hurt you, darling, and I never meant to make you cry. I'm ashamed that I ever_ did_ make you cry."

Bella stared at him for several moments, perhaps gauging whether or not he was truly going to keep his temper in check this time, or if she needed backup. She knew he didn't mean to upset her, but the fact was that he was a hothead and he was very capable of making her a sobbing mess.

Still, she decided to take his word for it. Despite his anger, he really _wouldn't _hurt her, and he was always there for her. She felt safe with him, even if he did put her on the verbal defense sometimes.

Jasper watched her, feeling his resolve weakening. "Alright, we can wait. We can talk tomorrow if you want. You should get some sleep first, and if you would really feel better with Emmett or Edward around, then that's how we'll do it."

Bella sighed. "No, I don't need them. I trust you. Besides, I want to talk about it now. So…you go first."

Jasper wasn't sure how to start. He was angry before, and he was worried about Bella's safety, but he wasn't sure he _wouldn't_ blow a gasket if he found out something bad about that goddamn Professor Wesley. He didn't want Bella to think he was pissed at her if it came to that.

"Jasper? It's okay. Just ask me whatever it is you want to ask. I can tell something's been bothering you." Bella touched his cheek with the back of her hand. "It can't be _that_ bad."

_What the hell. Might as well get it over with_, he thought.

"Bella, I know about Professor Wesley."

Bella's face dropped. "What?"

"That sounded kind of wrong. I meant…I know there's something not quite right about him." Jasper was actually forcing himself not to tremble as he spoke. He was scared of Bella's reaction now, and even more, he was scared of the truth.

"Emmett told us that he ran into him at the market. When we saw him in the parking lot, I didn't even consider that he may have bumped into either of you, but Emmett told me what happened. He also told me that you were wandering the store by yourself for awhile, and…you _did_ see him in there, didn't you?" He wished she would say 'no', but he could tell by her reaction that she had.

She looked completely embarrassed that he had guessed, completely ashamed. "Yes."

Jasper held her a little more tightly. "What happened?"

"Nothing, really. We just made small talk for a minute or two. That was it."

"What did you talk about?"

But Bella didn't want to say.

"Bella, please?"

"We talked about how our summers were going, and…he asked about the bruise on my face. That was basically it."

"Did he do anything?" Jasper wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that. What could the man have possibly done in a super market?

"Well, he was concerned by my bruise, so he sort of…touched my face. But he wasn't trying to be a pervert or anything, I think he just did it as a reflex." Bella didn't know if she should be defending Peter Wesley, but the thunderous expression on Jasper's face made her want to alleviate the situation.

"You promised not to get angry." She reminded him.

He clenched his fists, nodding his head. "I know, I know. I'm fine. Tell me more."

Bella frowned. "What else do you want to know?"

Jasper touched his hand to just underneath her injury, the same place, he imagined, where Wesley had touched her. "You don't like him, do you?"

Bella practically gasped at the question, not in offense, but in shock. Jasper saw right through her, and she discovered that she was glad. She had bottled it up for so long. She'd wanted to tell him for months, but it always got stuck in her throat. "No, I don't."

There, she said it.

"Why not?"

Bella wasn't sure how to answer that. "I don't know…I almost feel guilty for not liking him. He's not a bad man, as far as I can tell. He's always been very nice, in school and outside of school. But he makes me uncomfortable."

Jasper could feel his stomach tying in knots. "How? Did he do anything?"

"Not exactly."

"Tell me everything. I promise, I won't get angry. I know you haven't done anything wrong, okay?"

Bella hoped he meant that, she really did. She couldn't believe she was going to tell him all of this.

"It didn't start right away," she said. "At least, I didn't notice right away. I was a bit oblivious at first. But, as the weeks went on, I started noticing that he was…um, that he was staring at me a lot. He always seemed to be paying special attention to me. But it didn't end in the classroom. He was everywhere! I would go to have lunch, he was there. I went out into the parking lot to go home, he was there. Sometimes by the entrance, sometimes standing next to his car, which was always parked near mine no matter where I parked. I even experimented and changed to a different parking lot. There are two, you know. And even then, there he was. I parked far from the school one day, close to it the next, and it made no difference."

She took a deep breath. Jasper looked stunned and, yes, enraged, but she couldn't stop now.

"And when I got to school in the morning, he was almost always there. Again, sometimes he was near the entrance, sometimes he was in the hallway I used to get to my first class, which wasn't his. His classroom was in a different section of the building altogether. I even changed my route once and started heading there a different way, and it worked the first time. The second time he found me out. He always acted as if it was just a coincidence." She snorted. "And I thought…well, that wasn't how a teacher normally treats their student. I don't mean the stalking, because that's obvious, but he made a point to acknowledge me every time we passed one another. I mean is it normal to acknowledge every student you have whenever you see them walking around school? He even tried to make chit-chat a few times. He didn't do that with anyone else. Not that I saw, anyway…"

She went silent, a few tears escaping.

Jasper hugged her closely. "Why didn't you tell us?" He wanted to cry along with her. All that time she was coming home depressed and losing sleep, and they never knew why, could never get a real answer from her…if only she had just told them!

"I thought I was going crazy, Jasper. I thought it was all in my head, and I didn't want to stir everyone up because of my foolishness. I thought if I ignored it, it would go away, and I'd find out that it was all in my head the whole time. I wanted to be paranoid without justification. I'm so tired of feeling like a victim! I'm tired of being proven right."

"Oh, darling…" Jasper rubbed her back, dropping soft kisses on her head as she cried into his chest. "You aren't crazy, and I'll never let him hurt you."

_I'll fucking tear him limb from limb._

"But Jasper, he hasn't _done_ anything." Bella said.

"I think stalking a young woman can be considered doing something." Jasper growled.

"I can't prove any of it," Bella told him. "What am I going to say? Oh, he was in the parking lots and the hallways of the school where he teaches? That would sound perfectly reasonable to anyone else. Why _wouldn't_ I see him around, right? Every time I ran into him could have been a coincidence. I'll just sound demented, and they'll probably think _I'm_ the one stalking _him_."

Jasper shook his head. "Bella, we know none of that was a coincidence. It's too weird to be innocent. And how do you explain him showing up twice in two weeks where we've been?"

"Honestly, Jasper, how could those have been planned? He didn't know we'd be at that restaurant that night, and he was with his family. It looked pretty real to me. He probably just saw me there and decided to say hi."

"What about the market?" Jasper challenged.

"Again, how could he have planned it? Wouldn't we have known if someone was following us? I know what his car looks like. God knows I've seen it enough times. No, I don't think I can blame him for those, even if I _was_ annoyed."

Jasper groaned. "Now it sounds like you're going easy on him."

"I'm not, I'm just being logical. It doesn't make sense…"

"Bella, there's a reason we all hate him." Jasper said.

Bella rolled her eyes. "There's nothing to be jealous of, Jasper. Seriously."

"No, I'm not talking about jealousy." Jasper insisted. "We have eyes, darling, and we know a man in love when we see one. We see it every day when we look at each other. When Edward, Emmett, and I saw him, we were immediately aware of the way he looked at you, of his body language. He wants you. That's why I got so angry that night in the restaurant. I suppose I was feeling possessive, and I wanted to claim you in front of my rival, so to speak."

"Jasper, you'll never have any rivals!"

"I know, but it's my instinct. That's how I get when I see someone else eying the love of my life the way he was. The point is that none of what you felt was in your head. We sensed it, too. We _saw_ it. Anyone who sees him around you can tell that he's obsessed with you."

He ran his hands through her hair. "You shouldn't have had to go through that alone."

"I'm sorry." Bella whispered, regretting her stupid decision to keep it a secret. She thought it was the right thing to do, but it wasn't.

"Don't ever keep anything like that from us again, you got it? I don't care how foolish you feel, or how insane. Nothing you feel or believe is ever foolish, and I refuse to let you suffer. We'll always do anything we can to make you happy, baby. We deal with problems together, remember?"

Bella nodded. "I don't know why I thought I could take care of it myself. I wanted to save you any trouble, and I didn't want you to be upset, but deep down I knew I was making a mistake."

Jasper, despite his tendencies, was not angry with her. Yes, she had kept all of this from them, but he was at least able to see it from her point of view, even if she was wrong not to tell her boyfriends. After all she had been through with her father, the last thing she needed was another man stalking her like prey. And that's exactly what Peter Wesley was doing. _Of course _Bella felt vulnerable and scared, and it was only natural for her to pin it on delusional paranoia. She had every right to be paranoid, but that didn't mean her instincts were off. No, they were quite right, in fact. With Bella, they almost always were, as much as she wished they weren't.

No, Jasper wasn't mad at her, but he sure as hell was furious with that goddamn Professor of hers. He would talk to his brothers about it in the morning, but right now, he knew Bella needed his comfort. She had been suffering in silence for months and only now had released all of her stomach-turning anxieties. No wonder she had been losing sleep and not eating properly!

He should have guessed. He was an idiot for not seeing the reason. He was an idiot for not _making sure_ he knew the reason. Jasper wasn't above a bit of snooping, even some good old-fashioned stalking. With a little more effort, all of this could have been avoided. If only he'd tried harder!

"It's okay, darling." Jasper adjusted the blanket on her. "Now that you've told me, we can finally take care of this. I don't want you to worry about it anymore, okay?"

Bella wasn't sure she liked that. "What do you mean 'take care of this'? You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

Jasper laughed. "I'm not that violent, Bella."

_I might._

"Promise you won't do anything mean!"

Jasper wondered what exactly she thought he might do. True, he could very easily see himself punching the guy in the face, but he doubted it would come to that, unless he kept hassling Bella. Then all bets were off. But what he really had in mind was what he considered to be a "gentle warning", and if that didn't work, he could always call Charlie and see if he'd do him a favor.

"I promise." Jasper kissed the tip of her nose. "Is there anything else you haven't told me?"

Bella sighed, laying her head back on his chest. "No. That's everything." She sounded content, Jasper noticed. She was relieved, and now that she wasn't facing this demon alone, maybe she could rest a little easier.

Jasper suddenly remembered that when they had started their talk, they had both had something to discuss. They had gotten Jasper's questions out of the way, but they hadn't even approached Bella's other problem, whatever it was. For all he knew it was the same issue, but he assumed she would have told him so, and he had a feeling that if he hadn't pressed her for information on Professor Wesley, she wouldn't have told him. Not tonight, at least.

He was about to ask her about it when he noticed she was already asleep. He'd talk to her about it tomorrow, he decided. Let her rest.

Meanwhile, he would think about how to deal with Professor Wesley.

**A/N** Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!


	17. Keep it to Yourself

Disclaimer: Why do you keep asking me if I own Twilight? Are you saying I look like Stephenie Meyer?

Adore

**A/N** Sorry to do this to you guys, but I'm going to have to put this story on **hiatus** for a little while. Don't worry, I _will_ finish it, but there are so many other things going on in my life right now that I don't want to have to worry about this for the time being. I'll probably update sporadically, so it'll be a weird hiatus. I hate to keep you guys waiting! Hopefully I'll be able to concentrate on it more after the holidays.

Chapter 16 – Keep it to Yourself

Jasper should have studied psychology, he decided. That would have been a degree worth having, not teaching. Teaching helps kids learn history and math, sure, but psychology? Psychology can tell you everything you need to know about yourself and the people around you. You can diagnose your own problems and figure out your inner workings. You can even help others deal with their issues. Jasper could have done all of that. He could have figured out why he was feeling the way he was now, looking down at Bella sleeping in his lap.

She told him this man, this professor, had been stalking her. The predominant emotion he should be feeling in that moment was outrage, or even fear. Those were logical. What he was feeling now? Not so much. Jealousy was such an ugly thing.

He had trouble coming to a conclusion as to why he was jealous when there was clearly nothing in the least to be jealous of. The man was a creep; a desperate, pathetic creep who was making Bella feel like a victim in what were supposed to be safe surroundings. It wasn't as if he stood a chance with her, or that she was in any way attracted to him. Perhaps it was simply Jasper's nature to be jealous of other men who spent any amount of time around his Bella.

Or maybe his real problem was that he didn't blame the professor. It made him sick to even think it, to give the man a free pass, but…Peter Wesley was just like him. Jasper wasn't a total hypocrite. He'd practically held Bella prisoner when she first came into their lives. He followed her everywhere (even now), watched her every move, obsessed over her, lusted after her, and she haunted his every waking thought. Everything he did in life came back to her. She was the reason for everything. He would be nobody if she didn't love him, just a sad, lonely man who would forever pine for the one who got away. Like Peter Wesley. Jasper recognized himself in Peter. He saw a similar obsession, lust, desperation. He wanted him to be a villain, someone who had nothing in common with Jasper or his brothers, but the sad truth was, he was almost exactly like them when it came to Bella.

And that was why he hated him so fucking much.

_What the hell is wrong with you, Jasper?_ He needed to knock some sense into his head. He was actually sympathizing with the bastard, the man who was scaring Bella, making her lose sleep, lose her appetite. He was making her life a living hell, and he didn't even care. He wasn't trying to protect her, he was just doing whatever the hell he wanted to make himself feel good.

Peter Wesley wasn't a good guy, Jasper reminded himself. He was creepy as hell, and he had crossed the line by stalking Bella.

Well, he wasn't going to get her. They would take her away if they had to. Anything to keep her safe. He'd talk to his brothers, and they'd figure out how to deal with this mofo.

He realized how late it was. It would be time to get up in a few short hours, and he had gotten hardly any sleep. At this point, he'd be lucky to get any. His mind was racing, and he didn't expect it to quiet down anytime soon.

He scooped Bella up in his arms, making sure the blanket was secure around her. He kissed her forehead, unable to resist the urge to give her affection, even when she was unaware of it.

"Baby, put your arms around my neck," he whispered.

Bella briefly opened her eyes, tucking her head into his neck and wrapping her arms around his neck like he asked her to. She closed her eyes again, letting out a great yawn.

Jasper ascended the basement stairs, quickly realizing when he reached the top that he had a house full of lights to turn off. He cradled Bella a little closer, unwilling to put her down in order to switch everything off. He kicked the basement door closed, wincing as it made a brief banging noise. Bella frowned, but didn't wake up.

Jasper wondered what she had been intending to tell him before she fell asleep. He prayed it wasn't something worse than Professor Wesley, but then he couldn't imagine what could possibly be worse. He reminded himself to broach the subject again tomorrow. Right now, he needed to put the house to sleep, as well as himself.

And hope that his brothers weren't already awake.

* * *

><p>Bella was confused. It was two o'clock in the afternoon, and nothing had happened. She thought her sleepwalking incident the night before would have caused great concern amongst her boys, and she thought they would have had a long discussion about it by now. And about Peter Wesley. Well, none of that happened.<p>

But that was probably because they didn't know about any of it.

There had been ample opportunity for them to be made aware of recent events. She assumed Jasper would have told them before she woke up, seeing as she was in bed an hour longer than the rest of them. That was an hour that Jasper had to tell them everything without having to deal with her tears and fumbled explanations. She'd been able to get Jasper alone in the kitchen while he was making pancakes for her.

"Did you tell them about last night?"

Jasper looked behind her, double checking that they were alone. "Not yet."

Bella was baffled. He looked as if he didn't _want_ to tell them. "Well when should I tell them? I can do it now. I'd rather get it out of the way."

"There's no rush."

What had gotten into him? "Jasper, I don't think they should be kept in the dark for long."

Jasper nodded. "I agree, but I don't think this is the time. We don't know how they'll react."

Bella was shocked that he was worried about that. Edward and Emmett tended to have mild reactions compared to Jasper. Now he was concerned they'd blow up?

"They're not going to react well no matter when I tell them," Bella pointed out.

"Yeah, but it could spoil the day for them."

It was obvious that he knew something she didn't. _Must_ he beat around the bush?

"Okay, what's going on?" Bella asked.

Jasper peered around, apprehensive. "Edward wants to take you out on a date today," he whispered.

Bella blanched. She hadn't realized they'd be going today. In fact, she'd almost completely forgotten that they'd been planning to go on a date soon.

_Well that's what happens when you navel-gaze. You forget things. _

Bella had to remind herself to stop being so self-critical. "Oh. But what does that have to do with it?"

"I just think that telling him today would ruin it for him," Jasper said.

He had a point. If Edward knew, that's all he would be thinking about on their date. Part of the reason they were even going on a date was to make up for the way they had seemingly left him out a few days before. She didn't want to make him feel even worse. Well, she didn't want to ever make any of them feel worse, but she had to do it sometime in this case. Still, Jasper was right.

"Alright, I'll tell them tomorrow."

"No, not tomorrow!"

Bella was starting to get irritated. "Why not?"

Jasper cleared his throat, calming himself down. "Emmett wants to take you on a date tomorrow."

Bella smirked. "I suppose you and I are going on a date the day after?"

Jasper nodded, almost bashful.

"Hmm, does that mean I should untell you?"

"It might be for the best," Jasper joked. He pulled her towards him and placed his lips on her neck. "Oh, I do love you Miss. Mercury." He wished, not for the first time, that he could call her 'Mrs. Cullen', but that was just a pipe dream.

"I love you, too. Mr. Cullen," Bella wrapped her arms around his waist. "So I should tell them in a few days, then? I'm not comfortable waiting much longer."

"Sure. I can help you tell them, too."

"Do you think they'll resent that I told you already?"

"Probably."

"Maybe you can pretend you don't know…"

"That's quite sneaky of you, darling," Jasper teased. But he had to admit, he liked her way of thinking. "Maybe I can attempt it. For now, we just have to hide it."

Bella's eyes widened in horror. "I'm a terrible liar, Jazz."

Jasper smiled. "It's okay, darling. If it slips out, it's not the end of the world."

"But I don't want to ruin our dates. They've probably been looking forward to them, especially Edward."

"Well I have faith in you. You'll be fine, so don't worry about it. They'll find out in a few days, and until then, just have fun and pretend that nothing has happened."

Bella cast her eyes down.

Jasper felt a pang of guilt. "What is it?"

"I_ am_ being honest when I say I feel awful about it, Jasper. You know that, right?"

Jasper exhaled loudly. "Bella, I know. You haven't done anything terrible, though. Yeah, I wish you had told me sooner, way sooner, but you haven't done anything I need to forgive you for. It's not like you…I mean he's the one who's been behaving badly. If given the opportunity, he would sleep with you. But you wouldn't."

"I wouldn't do something like that," he could almost see Bella's face turn green at the thought of having sex with her former professor. "I just wish I could go back in time and handle it differently. But maybe this will help me to finally trust my instincts and to not be afraid of telling you unpleasant things."

Jasper grinned. "See? You even found a bright side to it. And I do expect you to do those things, you got it?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yes mom."

"Don't mom me, young lady."

Bella laughed. "Okay, I'm starting to get creeped out."

"Sorry," Jasper leaned down for another kiss. "Alright, let me get to your pancakes."

* * *

><p><em>Don't let it slip, don't let it slip, don't let it slip.<em>

"Ready love?" Edward held his hand out for her to take.

Bella tried to relax. She probably looked constipated with the way she kept tensing up. She simply couldn't think of anything except the fact that she had to keep this dreadful secret from Edward and Emmett, and she honestly didn't like to do it. Now that Jasper knew, she wanted to spill it to the other men she loved. But no, she had to lie for their sake. Just for three days or so. She'd been lying for weeks, anyway, what was three more days?

"I'm ready."

_Lie mode: on._

**A/N** I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's shorter than I wanted it to be, but I'm hoping to do better once I get back on track. Sorry for the hiatus! It'll probably fly by, though, so here's hoping.


	18. Bowling for Asparagus

Disclaimer: That's right, rub it my face. I don't own Twilight.

**A/N** Wooooo, an update! Let's pretend I haven't been letting this go since November 10th, 2012. Although I have been away for a good reason! I got caught up in a new relationship around the holidays, temporarily lived in another country, and now I'm single again and back at home. It's been an interesting several months! I hope all of you are doing well, and I hope you enjoy the first of many new chapters of Adore! :D

Adore

Chapter 17 –Bowling for Asparagus

"Turkey my ass!"

"Now don't be sour just because I'm better at bowling than you."

"Better? _Better_?! That was a fluke, Edward. You suck balls at bowling," Bella was aghast as she looked at the scoreboard. Bowling was one of the only things she was more skilled at than Edward, and he was beating her. The nerve!

"I think Emmett is rubbing off on you just a little bit too much," Edward teased.

Bella smiled. She may be losing at bowling, but, on the up side, she was doing a fairly decent job at keeping her (and now Jasper's) secret. She wasn't acting peculiar, which was amazing since she was usually horrendous at lying.

She and Edward were an hour and a half into their date, which, she discovered, consisted of bowling and an inexpensive dinner at a local diner. In other words, it was the perfect date. Although it would be nicer if she were actually winning.

_When did I get so competitive_?

Bella stood up to take her turn, casually swinging her arm in practice. She was already feeling a little worn out, but she wanted to keep going; she wasn't ready for the night to be over. When she got home, she would just start thinking about things she'd rather forget.

She rolled the ball, watching it slide down the middle, no doubt rolling towards a strike. But then it did the damndest thing and veered off, knocking down all but two pins.

"Well that was unfair," Bella huffed.

"Everyone has off days," Edward chuckled, coming behind her and clasping his hands around her waist.

"Next time I will defeat you, Cullen," Bella placed her hands over his. "But I think I need to accept that I've lost this time."

"We can always play another game; give you a chance to redeem yourself." Edward said. He kissed her neck, eliciting a small shiver.

"Hey, mister, I still need to knock down those last two pins. Distractions are not welcome."

"Oh, I wasn't thinking, love. Go ahead," he stepped back.

Bella stopped him, grabbing onto his arm. "And by 'unwelcome', I mean very, very welcome." She threw her arms around his neck.

Edward laughed, pressing his lips against hers. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes! I'm so glad we did this. It was very thoughtful of you," Bella couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She was having a better day than she expected.

"One more game after this?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded.

"And then we can hit that diner nearby, unless you want to eat here."

Bella looked around, noting how busy the bowling place was. There was a reasonably large dining area in there. They sold what you'd expect to find a place like that; fries, chicken fingers, burgers, candy bars. Nothing fancy. Not that Bella required a fancy dinner, but seeing as it was currently packed with little children, testy parents, and teenaged boys, she thought it best to try their luck somewhere else.

"Too many people."

Edward agreed, suddenly wanting to get out of there a little sooner than planned. He wasn't certain if his problem was being around a bunch of strangers, or Bella being around a bunch of strangers, but he was leaning towards the latter.

Bella finished her round of bowling, failing to a miserable, embarrassing degree, and Edward won by a wide margin. Damn, her game really _was_ off.

"Okay, maybe we should forget playing another game," Bella said. "I don't think my ego can take another defeat."

"Alright, it's getting busier, anyway," Edward was more than happy to oblige. He grabbed Bella's bowling shoes as soon as she had them off, in a hurry to leave as quickly as possible. "I'll take them back," he offered.

There was no one in line at the desk, which he was grateful for. He was in such a rush to get out that he didn't even glance up at the young woman collecting his shoes.

"Mr. Cullen?"

He frowned, not expecting to hear his name. He turned around, a small smile breaking out across his face. "Angela!"

Angela Dwyer had been one of the best students at Forks High. She was studious, intelligent, and well-behaved; a rarity, in Edward's experience. She'd graduated two years ago, and this was the first time he'd seen her since.

"Hey, you remember me," Angela smiled. She hadn't changed much since he'd last seen her. She was a bit on the mousy side, and not considered one of the prettier girls in Forks High, but she was distinctive, and she looked happier than he'd ever seen her before. Of course, graduating from that hell hole probably helped.

"Of course, you were one of my favorite students. No one can beat Mike, however," Edward winked.

Angela cringed. "Don't remind me, Mr. Cullen. Mike was the bane of my existence in high school."

"Sorry. I sometimes forget how he treats girls." Mike liked to harass the female students at school, and very few girls could say that they hadn't had their butt pinched or their breasts groped by Mike. He was surprised he had even graduated, considering how often he was suspended. He looked at Angela, feeling uncomfortable with the subject at hand, and decided to quickly change it. "I didn't know you worked at the bowling alley."

"Oh, it's just for the summer while I'm on break from college."

"How's that going?" Edward was keenly aware that Bella was probably waiting for him. He didn't want to be rude to Angela, but his desire to flee was greater.

"Great! Ben's going there, too." Edward struggled to remember who Ben was, before it struck him. Ben was Angela's boyfriend. Duh.

"Oh, and how is Ben?" But he still couldn't quite remember what Ben looked like. Oh well, he couldn't be expected to recall every student he'd ever encountered.

"Good. Really good," Angela's grin widened. "We're getting married next year."

_Married?_

His mouth went dry, and he found himself irrationally shocked. Angela was just a kid. She was twenty, and she was getting married before him. She _could_ get married. He would never be able to. Edward didn't know what to say to that except, "Congratulations!" But inside, the green monster was emerging.

Not far away, Bella watched as Edward chatted to the girl at the counter. She was trying not to get jealous or suspicious, but _oh my god stop talking to that girl, Edward!_ Damn, she was almost as bad as her boys.

He walked back after a minute, his face sober. He quickly brightened on approach, but Bella wondered what had made him look so down.

"You okay?"

Edward took her hand. "Yeah, just thinking."

Did he have to be mysterious? "Do you know her?" Bella gestured to the counter as they walked past.

"Um, yes. She's a former student."

She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't. "Edward, is something wrong?"

He ran a hand through his hair, letting Bella know that, yes, something was wrong.

"She's getting married," was all he said.

"And that bothers you?" Bella was confused.

Edward stopped, half-way through the parking lot. "Bella, if you could, would you marry me?"

Bella froze, stunned. "What?"

"I know we can't, but if we could…would you say yes?" He was so vulnerable in that moment. Bella suddenly found herself wanting to cry at the question. She desperately wanted to marry all three of her boys, but…yeah, bigamy and what not. She would never get married, and that was just something she had to live with.

"Of course I would!" It didn't make Edward any happier, though.

"You'll never be Mrs. Cullen," he said. "I want it so badly."

Bella put her head on his chest, sighing. "So do I."

"Can't we do some reverse Mormon thing?"

"I'm not sure that's a thing. These religions tend to favor men. Not that I oppose the idea of having three hot husbands."

"We should create it. Cullenism. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like something we should definitely look into," Bella looked into Edward's eyes. "It doesn't matter, you know, as long as we're together. That's the point. I can live without a piece of paper and a 'Missus' before my name. It's there in essence. _We_ know what we are to each other; that's all that really counts."

Edward bowed his head. "I know, but I still want it. I don't think I'll ever stop wanting it."

They stood in the parking lot hugging for a minute before Bella pulled back. "Okay, no more sulking tonight. This is supposed to be a date, is it not?"

Edward chuckled. "You are very correct in that assumption."

"Right, so now we must drive forth to dinner, since I am very hungry."

"As you wish," Edward pecked her on the nose, grabbing her hand once again and leading her to the car.

* * *

><p>The rule for date night was that whoever was not on the date should stay well out of the way until an agreed upon time. For Jasper and Emmett, that time was 11PM. They hung out in one of the guest bedrooms playing board games and eating chips. Edward and Bella returned at around 9:30, going into the bedroom, and, after a time (a very loud time, according to Emmett), took a shower, at which point Jasper and Emmett were allowed to be as nosy and interruptive as they liked. Jasper in particular was anxious to talk to Bella. He managed to lure her downstairs before bed. He could tell she was eager to have a quiet word with him, as well. It was weird being in cahoots with his girlfriend. Normally, she was in cahoots with…well, herself, and he was having secret talks with his brothers.<p>

"How did it go?"

"Surprisingly well. I didn't have any trouble keeping our secret," Bella said.

Jasper let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I assumed, since Edward hasn't thrown a fit. Just a few more days, then."

"Don't remind me," Bella whispered. "You're going to have to stop them from locking me in a closet."

"I'm sure it won't come to that."

"I wouldn't put it past them."

Jasper laughed. "Hey, if it happens, I will gladly join you. Just don't expect to have any clothes on."

Bella slipped her hands under his shirt. "Maybe it isn't such a bad idea, then." She got on her tip-toes and kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Ready for bed?" Jasper asked, not actually ready for it himself.

"In a minute," Bella replied, noticing for the first time that the kitchen wasn't as tidy as Jasper usually left it. "Why is there asparagus on the counter?"

Jasper blushed. "Oh, Emmett and I were eating it. I forgot to put it away."

"Really? You rarely eat it."

"We're trying to be healthier," Jasper said. "Well, bedtime, I think."

Bella smirked. "Jasper, what are you hiding?"

"Nothing."

"What's with the asparagus?"

"It's healthy."

Bella sniggered. "Wait a minute. I remember reading something about asparagus…"

"No you don't," Jasper took her by the hand and started leading her out of the kitchen.

"…something about how it makes semen taste different."

Jasper stopped. "Where the hell did you read that?"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Where did _you_?"

Jasper analyzed her for a moment. "Okay, I just thought…it's not pleasant, is it? It can't taste good. So we thought we should try to make it taste less repulsive."

"Does it? Oh, that's very sweet of you," Bella giggled. She peered down at the bulge in his shorts. "Should we test out this asparagus theory?" She tugged his shorts down his hips.

"Oh god, darling, if you insist –" But she was already wrapping her mouth around his cock.

"Mm," she hummed in appreciation, making Jasper quiver. She released him with a pop. "Yeah, it doesn't taste better," she chuckled. She didn't seem to mind, however; she just kept going.

"Well, then, I'll…um…never eat it again," Jasper's knuckles turned white as he gripped the kitchen counter. Bella was taking her time with him, slowly licking his shaft and cupping his balls. She took him into her mouth as far as she could, bobbing her head back and forth. Jasper remained helpless as he leaned against the counter. Bella really was a filthy girl, doing this to him in his parents' kitchen. He wanted to go a step further and take her on the floor or against the refrigerator, but his stamina was not up to par that night, and before he could stop himself, he came.

Bella stood up, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt. "I think I can now confirm that asparagus does not improve the taste of your semen. However, I think we should further test this theory before stating it as a fact."

Jasper moaned. "How did I get so lucky with you?" He began nibbling on her earlobe. "And if you think I'm letting you do that again after I've eaten that crap, you're wrong."

"Haha. I don't mind, baby. At least you tried," Bella could feel him hardening against her once again. She was tempted to keep going, but she was already exhausted. "Sweetie, let's save this for our date."

Jasper nodded. "Okay, but we have to do it on every surface in here, got it?"

"Got it," Bella said. She wasn't going to get much of a break over the next few days, but she wasn't complaining. After all, she might find herself with two angry boyfriends in a few days times.

**A/N** I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's a short, simple re-entry for me, but I will get back into the swing of things soon!


	19. Dust

Disclaimer: I don't own this, y'all.

Adore

**A/N** I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! ^_^

Chapter 18 –Dust

"It's okay, pumpkin, I'll catch you if you fall."

Emmett was the one who suggested indoor rock climbing for their date. He was already way ahead of her, alerting her to the fact that she was indeed out of shape. On the bright side, however, it proved an even better distraction than bowling. Her lie mode was always on, and she was starting to believe that she could be good at lying. Not that she intended to become a chronic liar, of course.

Bella wasn't generally afraid of heights, but she was highly self-conscious. There were probably about ten people watching her from below. Sure, she thought, they were most likely just zoned out and waiting for their turns, but it was still discomfiting. And what if she fell? She could almost feel herself start to blush at the thought.

Emmett waited at the top for her, and when she finally made it, they descended. She almost slipped three times, but she figured that was actually pretty good for her.

"Man, I need to do that for real one day," Emmett said.

Bella did not return the sentiment. "As long as I don't have to…"

"You don't," Emmett said. "In fact, you're not allowed.

"What? Why?"

"Too dangerous." Emmett winked when he saw that Bella took this as an affront.

"You think I can't do it?"

"Nope," he said the word with a pop on the 'p', only infuriating her more.

"I could if I wanted to!"

"As long as I have a say, my say is no," Emmett nodded.

"I'm more likely to die in a car accident," Bella pointed out.

"Hmm, good point. Maybe we shouldn't let you drive anymore…"

"Emmett!"

He laughed. "I'm joking, Bella."

"Liar."

Emmett chuckled. "So what do you want to do now?"

Bella thought about it for a moment. "Well we could have an early dinner if you're hungry, or we could stop by the house and get the mail like we said we would."

Edward and Jasper had offered to do it, but Bella had insisted that she and Emmett would.

A knowing smile crept onto Emmett's face. "You miss our little home, don't you?"

Bella couldn't deny it. "It's our home. How could I not miss it?"

Emmett nodded. "Okay, we'll head over now. Sure you don't want another go?" He looked over at the wall they had just climbed.

Bella shook her head. "Noooo. Let's go."

* * *

><p>There wasn't much in the mailbox aside from bills and a postcard from Esme and Carlisle saying how wonderful Italy was, and that they'd all have to go there one day.<p>

"Your parents are so sweet," Bella said, sitting in Emmett's lap at the kitchen table. "Think we'll ever get to travel?"

"Of course!" Emmett had no intention of staying put forever. "We'll go everywhere. Just have to decide where to go first."

"And save up for it," Bella said.

"That too," Emmett frowned. "We'll do it soon. Maybe after you graduate. It could be your graduation present."

Bella perked up. "I get a graduation present?" She hadn't expected that. Graduation sex, sure, but not a trip.

Emmett almost laughed at her look of surprise. "All graduates get a present. Some get cars. Some get trips. So where do you want to go?"

Bella didn't even know where to start. She'd always wanted to travel, but she never thought about to where; it was simply a matter of anywhere.

"Norway? Japan? Canada?"

"Interesting range of countries," Emmett said. "Nowhere in particular you've been dying to go?"

"Nope. As long as you're there," Bella leaned down and kissed him. "I think I'm going to walk around the house."

Emmett quirked a brow. "We haven't been gone that long, Bells, and we'll be back in a few days."

"I know, but I want to make sure everything is okay; make sure raccoons haven't taken up residence." She stood up.

"Alright, baby. Let me know when you're hungry," Emmett stretched his arms above his head. "And watch your back."

"Why?" Bella had a moment of near panic. Had he found out about Peter?

Emmett stood up alongside her and grabbed her ass. "Because you never know when I'm going to attack." He squeezed.

Bella giggled, relieved. "I'm always prepared for an Emmett attack."

"That's what _you_ think, but you can't see me coming every time."

"I think I've seen you coming quite a lot, actually," Bella sniggered.

Emmett slapped her butt. "Dirty girl. Go take your weird stroll around the house, and try not to be eaten by raccoons."

"Okay," Bella went in for one last kiss. "I won't be long."

* * *

><p>The house had collected a nice layer of dust in the past week or so. Bella made a mental note to do a thorough cleaning when they returned. There was something unnerving about it. It was just dust, but for some reason the house felt…abandoned; as if they hadn't been there in years. As if it had been invaded and was no longer safe. She realized, of course, that it was just her nerves about the break-in at Esme and Carlisle's that had her shaken up. She was paranoid that their house would be next, and nowhere felt entirely safe. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to walk through it alone, she thought.<p>

_Don't be silly. No one is going to pop out of the shadows and attack you._

Bella walked into their bedroom, plopping down on their gigantic bed. She spread her arms out as if to hug it. Was it possible to miss a bed this much, she wondered? And it still smelled like her boys. That was without a doubt the best smell in the world, she decided.

And yet she still wasn't comfortable. Why wasn't she comfortable?

_You're in your own house! There's no place better._

She couldn't hear Emmett moving around, either. The house was completely silent. Even the pipes weren't making noise. There was nothing, and it unsettled her. But no, she'd be brave. After all, what was there to be scared of?

_How about the guy who punched you in the face, hmm? Or Peter Wesley? _

Bella quickly tried to divert her thoughts. She peered around the room looking for anything to distract her. The nightstand caught her attention, as the drawer was sticking out. There wasn't much in there aside from the bell they sometimes hung on the door to alert them to her sleepwalking. It had been awhile since they used it. It jingled as she picked it up; such a stark contrast to the silence in the rest of the house. So much silence…

All right, it was time to go. _Stop freaking yourself out!_

She ventured out into the hallway, the floorboards creaking with each step. She told herself this was _not_ the makings of a horror movie.

"Emmett?" She really wished he wasn't being so quiet. He wasn't normally this quiet, was he?

"Rawr!"

Bella screamed, only to find herself safely encased in Emmett's arms. "I told you to watch your back." He started kissing her neck.

"That was mean," Bella laughed, breathless. She turned around, meeting Emmett's kisses. "You know, I think the house is getting stale and dusty because it hasn't seen any action in awhile."

"Oh yeah? Well we must fix that." Emmett lifted her up and carried her back to the bedroom. It was just the two of them for once; there was no fear of interruption by Edward or Jasper. As much as they both enjoyed their foursomes, sometimes it was nice to have one-on-one time.

Emmett divested them both of their clothing, gliding his hands over Bella's bare skin. She was so smooth and soft.

"So how's this date going so far?" Emmett asked, sliding into her. Bella hissed.

"Quite well, I would say."

He plunged into her again, pressing his lips to her neck and gently sucking. That always drove her crazy. This time, however, it seemed to drive her even crazier, as it suddenly felt as if the room was shaking.

_Damn, she's really into it!_

And then he realized that the room was actually shaking.

Emmett stopped, looking around the room, then at Bella, who had just opened her eyes. She was as startled and confused as he was. The bells in the nightstand were jingling loudly, and they were pretty sure they heard one or two things crash to the floor somewhere in the house.

"Earthquake?" Bella was trying not to freak out, but she had never experienced an earthquake before. Emmett stayed on top of her, acting as a shield in case the roof decided to cave in. It was unnecessary, however, as it ended almost as soon as it began.

"Well that was unexpected," Bella laughed nervously, still shaken up.

"Are you okay?" Emmett asked, watching her with concern.

"Yeah, it just gave me a bit of a start." Bella rested her head back on the pillow, attempting to calm down. It had effectively ruined the moment, unfortunately. Emmett rolled off of her, making sure he still had an arm around her.

"Stupid cockblocking earthquake," he said with a heavy sigh. "Do you still want to go out for dinner?"

Bella smiled. "Of course. We're not going to let this date get completely ruined, are we?"

"That's my girl!" Emmett nuzzled her head. "I should call Jasper and see if everything's okay there."

"Oh god, you're right. I hope there wasn't too much damage." She cringed just thinking about some of the expensive vases and artwork that Carlisle and Esme had collected over the years. "It figures that things like this would happen while we're taking care of their house. I think the universe is trying to make us out to be the worst house sitters ever."

"Hey, it's not our fault that someone managed to break in. And I know I'm good in bed, but I can't be blamed for causing an earthquake."

"Hmm, I don't know. We might have to investigate that further," Bella said. "We don't want to jump to false conclusions, after all. Think of all the earthquakes we might be able to prevent!"

"You're right! Should we experiment with this theory now, or not risk another earthquake?"

"As someone once said at some point in history, there is no time like the present," Bella straddled him, piercing herself on his stiff cock once again.

* * *

><p>Jasper wasn't expecting to get a call from Emmett during his and Bella's date, so he was naturally a little worried when Emmett's name popped up on his phone. The only reason he would call, Jasper thought, is if something bad had happened to Bella.<p>

"What's wrong?" Was the first thing out of Jasper's mouth.

"Huh? Nothing. Bella and I are just leaving the house and heading out for dinner. I just wanted to check in and make sure everything is okay," Emmett said.

Jasper was perplexed. "Why would you need to check in? And why are you interrupting your date with Bella to call me if nothing is wrong?"

"Actually, I thought _you_ would have called _me _considering what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you feel the earthquake?"

Edward watched his oldest brother from across the living room, noting how fish-like he appeared. "What's happening?" He asked.

"I don't know," Jasper told him, quickly resuming his confusing conversation with Emmett. "What earthquake?" Edward's eyes widened in shock.

"The earthquake that shook the house about fifteen minutes ago," Emmett said. "I guess it didn't hit over there…"

"Holy shit!" Images of Bella being crushed under falling buildings and debris flashed through his head. "Is Bella okay?"

"Yeah, we're both fine. She was a little shaken up, but she's otherwise okay. A few things in the house broke, but nothing irreplaceable. Bella was worried that mom and dad's house was hit."

"Well we didn't feel a thing." Jasper looked at Edward, who was about to go into a panic. "It's okay," he said, "There was an earthquake back at the house, but they're fine."

"Anyway," Emmett said, "I'll let you go now." He was beginning to wish he'd never called. He could feel the minutes slipping by; minutes he could be spending actually enjoying his date. He could tell that Bella was relieved, though.

"When will you be back?" Jasper asked.

"In a few hours," Emmett was getting irritated. "Gotta go now."

"How – " Emmett hung up on him, somewhat satisfied with himself. Sometimes it was nice to fuck with Jasper.

"Ready for food?" He asked.

"Starving!" Bella exclaimed. "I think I just burned all of the calories I ate at breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm a great weight-loss inducer." Emmett pulled her into his side as they walked out the front door. "Not that you need to lose any more weight. In fact, you need to eat two dinners tonight."

"Hey, Jasper's been feeding me tons of food. I've already gained five pounds." Bella peered down at her waist. Yeah, she was still too thin, and it wasn't healthy or attractive, but she was improving. Her appetite had returned, and it was only a matter of time until she was back to normal. That little earthquake had done a number on her, however. The idea of food was not that appealing right then, but she would eat anyway. She already felt guilty about how Emmett and Edward were going to feel in two days' time when she told them the truth about her professor. The least she could do was not make them worry in other ways.

"Dickquake."

Bella blinked. "What?"

"From now on, any earthquake I'm involved in shall be called 'dickquake' because, for one, earthquakes are total dicks and cockblockers. And secondly, my dick is just that good." Emmett looked very happy with himself.

"Huh, I guess you're right." She definitely couldn't deny the power of Emmett's cock. Damn, she was a lucky girl. She didn't deserve them.

"Are you okay?"

The question took her by surprise. Emmett was watching her, analyzing.

"Of course. Why, do I look traumatized?" She wanted to make light of the question, but he looked serious. She was always amazed by how quickly Emmett could go from being silly to being dead serious.

"You've just seemed a little off lately."

"Off?" Oh god. Why did he have to be so observant? And why was she such a terrible actress? She actually thought she'd been pulling it off.

"Well, preoccupied," Emmett clarified.

Bella was tired of answering that question. She'd been asked it a billion times, and she almost always felt compelled to lie. She was tired of that, too, but she was bound by her secret for the time being.

"You never believe me when I tell you I'm okay, so I'm not really sure what to say," Bella replied.

"The truth, Bells."

"I'm okay."

"Liar," Emmett teased.

"Well, if I'm not," Bella said, "then it's only a matter of time until you find out." Maybe that was a cruel thing to say, she thought, but it was hard to commit entirely to the same lie over and over again. He would realize what she meant soon enough, anyway.

"Ah, so you _aren't_ okay. You have an interesting way of being honest." Emmett wasn't happy about this, but he wasn't about to make a huge fuss. He knew he shouldn't have said anything to risk ruining their date.

"Can we let this go for now?"

Emmett nodded. "I just wish you would trust me."

"I do. It's me I don't trust."

Emmett glared out the car window. "Why? You never do anything wrong."

"Are you insane? I do everything wrong. I'm still learning to be normal." Sometimes it felt like she would always be a freak. "I'd rather not talk about this anymore tonight."

"Okay," Emmett whispered, realizing too late that he'd already ruined the rest of their date.


	20. The Gasket

Disclaimer: I don't own this. I think.

Adore

Chapter 19 –The Gasket

When Jasper was younger, he'd had no interest in marriage. It was icky and pointless, and girls were terrible. Why on earth would anyone want to marry one? His views, of course, had changed over the last few years, and he accepted the ironic fact that, while marriage now appealed to him, it was something he could never have. Perhaps that's what he got for thinking so badly of anyone who entered the matrimonial state when he was younger. And yet, oftentimes, he felt married. He felt old, too, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. His eyes had opened in ways he'd never imagined; he was always growing, maturing, and there would always be things he'd get wrong in life and have to learn how to handle. It wasn't easy to be a living, breathing thing. It was harder still to watch his brothers and Bella struggle with it. What they wanted was simplicity, and what they received was drama. Even worse, they had to deal with it like adults because, well, they _were_ adults. And it sucked.

Jasper could tell something was wrong when Bella and Emmett got home. Bella looked guilty, and Emmett looked downtrodden. His youngest brother offered him a half-hearted smile before disappearing upstairs, his big feet thumping solemnly on the carpeted staircase.

"What happened?" Jasper asked, taking Bella aside as soon as Emmett was out of sight.

She shrugged, trying to hold back tears. "He guessed I was hiding something." She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. "I can't keep this up for much longer. I feel like such a terrible person."

Jasper quickly encompassed her in his arms. "I'm sorry, darling. I shouldn't have made you keep quiet." He rubbed her back. "You're not a terrible person. It's hard for both of us to know what to do in these situations. It's a fine line to tread." Bella nodded, burying her head in his chest.

"I hate lying," she said.

"Everyone hates lying, but we all do it sometimes." Edward was a good example of that. "What do you need? Want me to make you something?"

"Maybe some raspberry lemonade and TV? The distraction would be nice."

"Of course." He planted a kiss on her head, sorry that he had somehow managed to make life a little more complicated for her than it otherwise would have been. He fetched them both glasses of raspberry lemonade, which Bella had recently taken a liking to, and cuddled up to her on the couch.

It wasn't until they were watching late night TV that Bella realized something: no Edward. She always found it a little alarming when one of her boys was missing when she got home. It wasn't that she demanded their attention as soon as she entered the house, they were just…there…always.

"He's working on lesson plans for the upcoming semester. He said he wants to be prepared to teach at a university," Jasper said. "Plus, he wanted to give you and Emmett space when you got home. I think he's holed up in one of the guest rooms."

Bella stared at the television for a minute. The big day was coming up, and she was dreading it. As often as her lovers reassured her of their undying love, she wondered just how insuperable their strength and devotion were. If Jasper was any indication, they would forgive her (eventually) and life would go on. That was the best case scenario.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Bella asked, trying to take her mind of off less pleasant things.

"Something simple and relaxing," Jasper said. He'd already spent a good deal of time pondering it. At one point he'd thought that hiking would be a good idea, and then a fancy dinner, since he could never resist an excuse to eat out somewhere nice. Then he thought that simply going to the movies would be a better alternative. They could both stand to do something relaxing. Ultimately, however, he came to a slightly more upscale solution.

"The theatre?" Bella was impressed. She hadn't seen a play in…well, she couldn't remember how long.

"I was thinking we could spend the day in Seattle. We'd have to leave early, but we could have lunch and dinner out there, too. It'd be good to get away for a little while."

Bella felt a jolt of excitement. She could definitely use a day of escape. Then again, they all could. "I love that idea. You know, we should all plan a weekend away soon. I think it would be good for us. Maybe we could do it before school starts."

"I think Edward and Emmett would be up for that. We should talk about it with them soon." Jasper wondered if he should go up and talk to Emmett now, actually. He looked so unhappy when they got back.

"Ready for bed? We need to be up early, remember."

Bella nodded. "I think I'll take a quick shower first," and then, appearing browbeaten again, "I hope he's okay. I should talk to him." Apparently they were both thinking about Emmett.

"I'll talk to him first," Jasper said, kissing her forehead. "Try not to worry. We'll get all of this sorted out."

But Bella couldn't help wishing that tomorrow would be over, despite her anticipation for her and Jasper's date. She knew her upcoming talk with the boys would be hanging over her head all day, as it had been for a long time.

* * *

><p>Emmett's pride (which he sometimes pretended not to possess) would not allow him to cry in front of his brothers or Bella that night. He'd secluded himself in one of the upstairs rooms after returning with Bella. It was obvious that neither of them felt happy, and sex was off the table. This was probably one of the first times since he'd met her that he had no desire for intimacy. He couldn't get past the knowledge that the love of his life was hiding something from them. Again. That she didn't trust them enough to tell them. Or maybe it was that she didn't trust herself. He was reminded of Jasper's fear a few weeks earlier. <em>Has Bella met someone else?<em> And he hated that the idea had been planted in his mind, but it was there, and now he didn't know how to handle it. The predominant part of his brain couldn't fathom his Bella with another man; not realistically. He liked to think it went against her nature. But the murkier, depressing part of his brain produced vile images and scenarios. It was hard to escape those nightmarish thoughts when Bella was so clearly keeping secrets.

It was Jasper who interrupted his quiet reverie first, asking him if he was okay.

"Could be better, Jazz."

"I know she's been acting odd…" Jasper said, unsure of how to broach the subject without giving himself away.

"No shit," Emmett snorted. He sighed, putting his face in his hands. "Look, I know I should be more grown-up about it, but it gets to me. I want her to be honest, and tonight she couldn't even look me in the face and tell me what's been going on. She won't tell any of us, and it hurts."

"We just need to trust her." Jasper felt hypocritical for saying it, since he'd been wondering the same things as his little brother. "She still has issues to work through. They don't just disappear after a year or two. There are always going to be scars."

"I know…but we can't keep secrets from each other. We're in it together; all of it, anything that comes along. But the more she hides, the more scared I get. I feel like we're losing her. If she can't start to trust us…what's that going to lead to?"

Jasper was tempted at that moment. He wanted to tell him. "We're not going to lose here," he ground out. "Ever." He let out a deep breath, gathering his self-control. "She trusts us. I don't think it boils down to trust issues. She's just…"

Emmett waited for him to finish the sentence. "She's just what?"

Jasper shook his head, his blonde hair falling in front of his eyes. He flicked it away with his hand, annoyed. "I don't know. She's still timid in some ways, and I think she blames herself when bad things happen."

Emmett could see that. It didn't make it sting less, though. "I guess we'll find out eventually." He quickly realized he had just echoed Bella's sentiments. _It's only a matter of time until you find out._

* * *

><p>Emmett was the first one awake the next morning. He had gotten a few hours of sleep and been plagued by nightmares involving a demonic deer attacking Bella. Maybe it was time he reconsidered his anti-hunting stance.<p>

Edward seemed altogether too chipper when he sat down next to him in the kitchen. He yawned, pouring himself a glass of juice.

"Why are you so happy?" Emmett asked, annoyed.

Edward grinned, unaware of his brother's mood. "I spent all of last night working on my lesson plans. I think they'll really enjoy it."

"Hmm. Great…" Emmett mumbled.

Guilt quickly washed over Edward. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Emmett shrugged. "No, it's okay. I'm just feeling grumpy today. I should run it off later."

"What's wrong?"

He felt a bit silly telling him, or even admitting that he was letting it get to him, but he needed to confide in someone. "Remember what we talked about a few weeks ago in school?" Emmett asked. None of them were likely to forget anytime soon. "Well Bella pretty much told me last night that she was hiding something from us. She refused to tell me. She said she trusts me, but not herself. I don't even know what to do anymore. I don't know how to help her, or what to think about what she might mean. I just assume the worst."

He had evidently ruined Edward's morning with this. "You really think she met someone else?"

"It's what we all worry about the most," Emmett said. Edward couldn't deny it, but he also had more faith in Bella and her relationship with them than Emmett did, obviously.

"You need to give her more credit. She would never fool around."

Emmett glared at the kitchen counter. "Maybe she finally got sick of pleasing three men."

Edward let out an inaudible curse before standing up and patting his younger brother on the back. "You're being ridiculous. And since when are you the broody one? I thought that was Jasper's job."

"Hey, I can out-brood any professional brooder," Emmett said, cracking a small smile.

Edward was content to at least brighten his mood, if only momentarily. "Look, we'll talk to her soon, maybe even tonight. We'll get to the bottom of this like we always do. Just try not to torture yourself with your screwed up notions in the meantime," Edward gave him one last slap on the back, musing on the feeling that he was suddenly taking over Emmett's role as the more easygoing brother.

* * *

><p>The atmosphere in old theatres always made Bella feel as if she'd been whisked back to the 1800s. The one Jasper has taken her to was definitely on the grand side. It made her think of Phantom of the Opera.<p>

"Jasper, I love this!" She whispered excitedly. He beamed, relieved that he had made the right choice. At the very least, it would distract her.

"I wish I could be an actress," Bella remarked, taking her seat on the balcony. "But if I can't be a convincing liar, I can't act. I just know I'd start giggling or staring off into space and thinking about anything other than my lines. I don't know how these people do it."

"Dedication and passion," Jasper said. "I think you generally have to be passionate about something to excel at it. Unless you're a genius."

"If only. I'm not even sure what I'm passionate about." She gazed out into the audience, noting how many white heads there were. She then turned her attention to the stage, which was mostly obscured by the large red curtain flowing down from the ceiling. She wondered what everyone backstage must be feeling right now; how wonderful it must be to be filled with excitement from doing your _job_.

"You can always switch degrees," Jasper said.

"It's not the degree that's the problem," Bella admitted. "I'm just not sure what I want to do with it. I've never explored my interests enough to see what makes me tick. I could be the next great American painter…you know, aside from the fact that I can't draw and can barely tell oil and acrylic apart. I might be a master of canvas underneath all that."

"Well that settles it; we'll go to the craft store tomorrow and buy up all their art supplies," Jasper said, sounding quite adamant.

Bella let out a hearty laugh. "Maybe I should take up a musical instrument. I might be a secret violinist or cellist. Oh, maybe I can outdo Edward on the piano!"

"You can try anything you want, darling," Jasper said, pulling her in for a quick kiss. "I want you to be passionate about whatever you decide to do. We can buy paint, a guitar –which, by the way, my dad has a collection of –, tap dancing shoes, sewing needles, a camera, whatever you want to try. I was lucky; I knew what I loved early on. A lot of people have no idea until they're older."

"Yeah, we can't all have the Cullen luck." Bella said.

"The Cullen luck?"

"All of you seem to know what you want; you're all happy in your careers, even your parents. You're where you should be."

Jasper supposed she was right. They all knew their place in life from a young age. His mother had always been crazy about design and decorating. His father had always thrived on helping others and saving lives.

"You'll find your niche, darling. We just need to give you more opportunities to find out what exactly it is."

Bella smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'll start small. Maybe I can fiddle with your camera for awhile and write some short stories."

The theatre soon darkened, giving way to loud claps as the audience applauded the opening of the curtains.

* * *

><p>"What do you think so far?" Jasper asked. They had gone for refreshments during the intermission, and Bella appeared decidedly relieved to stand up.<p>

"It's hilarious," she said. "But my god, my butt is sore!"

Jasper laughed. "Yeah, sitting for an hour and a half like that makes me afraid to sit down for the second half."

"We'll have to walk it off later," Bella said. "You'd think I'd be used to it from sitting in class all day." She sipped her drink, taking a moment to gaze around the room. There was a massive chandelier hanging in the middle of the domed ceiling, and dozens of electric candles hanging along the walls. She wondered if balls used to be thrown here.

"Ugh." She snapped out of her daydreaming to see a look if disgust on Jasper's face.

"What?" Bella wondered what could have happened in the space of a few seconds.

"Someone's been staring at you for the last five minutes. I've been trying to ignore it, but he keeps walking to different parts of the room and watching, as if I won't notice." He put his glass down with a little more force than necessary.

"Where?" Bella asked, alarmed. She immediately thought of Professor Wesley, but she was sure he was away on his vacation by now.

"In a corner behind you. He's at a distance, but I can still see him. He thinks he's being discreet, the idiot." Jasper was purposely looking in another direction, resisting the temptation to glare daggers at the creep.

Bella was afraid to look behind her. She didn't want whoever it was to know she was aware of him. Then again, why let him scare her? That would be giving him the power. _He's probably harmless_, she thought. _Just some guy who people watches. _

"Do you recognize him?" She asked.

Jasper shook his head. "I can't tell what he looks like."

After gathering her courage, Bella finally turned around, trying to act as casual as possible. She scanned the other side of the room, looking for anyone who stood out, or, more accurately, was trying not to stand out. She eventually spotted him standing near a group of people, no doubt attempting to blend in. He kept darting his eyes back to her and Jasper. He noticed her looking, however, and quickly turned his attention elsewhere. He was average height, and he wore a black suit. Those were the only two things she could see. She didn't even know what his hair color was, due to the bad lighting.

"Well," she said, "it's not Peter Wesley, at least. That makes me feel better. He's probably just some random creepy guy who likes staring at girls."

Jasper wasn't so easily convinced, though, and he knew Bella wasn't either. "If that were the case, I think he'd be watching several women, not just you."

"True..." Bella set her glass down next to his and embraced him. "Why does there always have to be some complication?"

"I guess we have to pay for being so damn beautiful," Jasper quipped.

Bella sniggered. "Speak for yourself. And you know, he's been watching you, too."

"Interesting," Jasper said. "Maybe he's bi."

"Don't be surprised if we get propositioned on our way out," Bella told him. She loved seeing his look of utter revulsion at the suggestion.

"Maybe we should avoid going to the theatre ever again."

* * *

><p>It was ridiculously late by the time they arrived at Esme and Carlisle's. Neither were surprised to find Emmett and Edward still awake.<p>

"How was it?" Edward asked. Emmett was still brooding, but he decided to show his face. He was hiding behind Edward, however, and keeping unusually quiet.

"It was nice," Bella said. "I felt like I was transported back in time. I don't think it's something we should do too often, though."

"Why not?"

"Because there are perverts everywhere," Jasper chimed in. When his brothers both appeared baffled, he elaborated. "There was a guy there who couldn't keep his eyes off Bella."

"Or you," Bella added. "He wasn't just watching _me_."

"Hmm." Emmett pursed his lips. "We do seem to attract attention wherever we go." He thought back to the fansite that some of his students had created a few years back. It had been awhile since he checked it out.

"But you had fun otherwise?" Edward asked.

"Yes," Bella replied. "My butt is not happy, though. Too much sitting."

"We'll take care of that later," Jasper winked.

"Um…" They all paused, turning their attention to Emmett. "Can we talk, Bella?"

She looked at Jasper, shooting him a brief, concerned look. "I guess, but it's so late, Em." She almost started shaking. _Such a coward_, she thought.

"We need to talk about it now," Emmett said, much firmer with her than she was used to.

"Emmett…" Edward tried to interject, but Emmett stopped him.

"You want to know, too, Edward. Don't pretend you don't." He refocused on Bella. "So do you want to tell us what's really been going on with you?"

At the end of the day, thinking about this moment for weeks was worse than actually experiencing it. The nausea that quickly overwhelmed her was actually better than what she had anticipated, and her brain was only somewhat jumbled, her tongue only a little tied.

"Okay," she said, deciding to take a seat on the couch. Might as well be comfortable during the shitstorm that was about to erupt. "First of all, I'm just going to tell you up front: you're going to be mad."

"I know," Emmett said. That made her feel even worse. He was incredibly intimidating, and she feared more than ever that he would leave her. But she had to at least give him the choice.

So she told them about Peter Wesley; how he watched her, followed her, that she wasn't sure if the chance meetings with him were coincidences or not, and how scared she was to cause more drama in their lives by accusing a man of stalking her, when perhaps she was simply insane.

It was Edward who looked the most surprised. Emmett was frozen in place, unblinking. Jasper wasn't sure how to react. He decided to imitate Edward and appear shocked.

"And how long has this been going on?" Emmett finally broke the silence after a taut few minutes.

"A few weeks into last semester. I didn't really notice at first…" She felt so childish and small. Whatever verbal whipping she would receive from her lovers would be no worse than the one she dealt to herself every day.

"Has he done anything else?" His expression had not changed, except that she could discern the vulnerability in his eyes. He did not want to have to ask these questions. She only hoped he reacted as well as Jasper had a few days earlier.

"No, aside from showing up wherever I was. I mean, that's why I had trouble convincing myself that he was even watching me. He's always been very nice. Everyone likes him. He's never touched me or threatened me. I couldn't just accuse him when he could have been innocent. And people might easily look at my background and point to that, or say that I'm flat-out lying for attention. I just didn't want to jump to conclusions and make everything harder for us." She didn't expect Edward, or especially Emmett, to soften after her explanation, which was a good thing, since they both looked thoroughly unconvinced.

"Even so," said Emmett, walking over to her and bending down to her level, "you should have told us. We're your _boyfriends_, Bella, your partners in life. We're supposed to share everything, not hide things, especially not bad things." He took a deep breath, willing himself not to cry. "I think what it all comes down to is that you don't trust us."

Bella's eyes widened in panic. "That's not true!"

"Really? Because I think hiding this from us for weeks and weeks says otherwise. You had opportunities every day, Bella. Every. Fucking. Day. And rather than confide in us, the men you're supposed to trust with your life, you hid it from us."

"I didn't want to cause you guys more grief," she cried, "after everything with my father, I just wanted peace. I didn't want to put you through anything like that again."

Emmett laughed derisively. "You don't think keeping secrets is less destructive than revealing them before they actually_ become_ secrets? This didn't have to be such a big deal. If you'd told us that one of your teachers was creeping on you, we would have…I don't know, handled it like grown-ups."

Now it was Bella's turn to scoff. She was on the verge of breaking down, but managed to gather her wits after Emmett's last statement. She was getting angry now. "Handled it like grown-ups? Are you kidding me? You would have rushed over there and caused a fuss. You can't even take it when someone glances at me. Yes, I admit, I should have told you early on, and I regret not doing that. But don't pretend I didn't have anything to worry about regarding your reactions. You know, sometimes I get really sick of people coming to my rescue. I'm so fucking tired of being a victim and having my knights in shining armor have to come and save me. It makes me feel pathetic and weak, and the last thing I want to do is create another situation that I need saving from. I just wanted it to go away; that's what I was waiting for. Silly me, I thought that after the semester was over, that would be it. He hadn't done anything, after all. Did I really have anything to worry about? How was I supposed to know he'd keep popping up at markets and restaurants?"

Emmett didn't budge, however. "You wouldn't have been creating a situation, Bella. _He_ created it. You weren't doing anything wrong in the first place! And what do you think we would have done? Gone over there and beat him up? Follow him home? Do you think we'd really act so rashly?"

Bella waited a second, thinking about it. Did she think that? Maybe. They were testosterone-fueled men with big tempers and jealousy and control issues. "Maybe. I don't honestly know."

"Well it's good to hear that you have faith in us." Emmett sat down on the chair opposite and dropped his head into his hands.

Jasper and Edward had remained silent throughout, neither knowing what to say. Jasper felt guilty; he should have intervened, defended her. Emmett had been acting a bit unreasonable tonight, even though he had a point. He was the one who always kept his cool and tried to protect Bella when one of them argued (and with even more guilt, he had to acknowledge that it was typically him). He seemed to have lost it tonight, though. It was hard for any of them to think that Bella might not entirely trust their judgment, but he couldn't blame her. They hadn't always acted like calm, rational adults. The real bottom line was, however, that Bella, despite having her trust issues, always had their best interest at heart. She honestly did want to protect them, which she had proven more than once in the past.

Emmett needed time, that was all.

"We'll discuss this more tomorrow," Edward said, his voice barely a whisper. "I think we all need to cool down."

They all agreed; none of them up to more verbal dueling. Emmett was the first to storm off, slamming a door upstairs. Edward was much more civil about it. He gave Bella a kiss on the lips and offered her a small smile, saying, "It's okay, love."

Bella was glad to be left alone with Jasper. Once Edward was upstairs, she ran into Jasper's arms and began crying.

"They'll come around," he promised.

Bella wasn't so convinced. "This is different. He thinks I don't trust him, so now he won't trust me. And I can't blame him."

The truth was, none of them had ever really trusted her, not one hundred percent. Not that they thought she would cheat on them or go around committing crimes. But there were always things that she would keep from them, like this. Nothing devious or malicious. They were aware that she still had to work through her issues and learn to come to them when problems like this arose, which, hopefully, wouldn't happen too often. She was doing better now, anyway. Hopefully Emmett could see that.

Jasper mused how similar this was to a few nights before when he had found her in the basement, only that had gone a lot more smoothly. Her tears were beginning to let up after several painful minutes. She lifted her head, meeting his eyes. That was when it struck him.

"Bella…"

"Hmm?"

"Remember when we were talking in the basement? You had something to tell me, but you fell asleep before we could get to it." He still couldn't fathom what it was. He wasn't too worried, though.

Bella was confused for a moment, thinking back. "Oh right. I've been so preoccupied that I completely forgot. It was stupid, anyway."

"Don't do that," Jasper said, slightly teasing. "Nothing you say is stupid, remember? I'm going to keep reminding you until you believe it."

"Okay," Bella said, rolling her eyes playfully, "I will _try_ to work on it. Anyway…remember a few days ago…ahem, after we were in the Jacuzzi?"

"Yes…" Jasper didn't know where she was going with this.

"And I went upstairs to sleep it off."

"I remember."

"Well, I woke up pretty suddenly. I thought someone was in the room. I thought it was you, actually. It felt like someone touched my cheek, and I heard something…a thump, I guess. But when I looked around, there was no one there. So I just wondered if one of you had been in there at some point. That's all. It was probably just part of a dream I had." She was startled to find Jasper looking quite serious. "What is it?"

"Darling, did you leave the room before I came in? Maybe you used the bathroom?" Jasper really hoped she said 'yes'.

"No, I had just woken up. I was checking the closet, remember?" She was getting very nervous now. "Why?"

Jasper took a shaky breath. "Don't panic, okay?"

"Too late. Just tell me."

"When I was about to come upstairs to check on you, we heard someone moving around upstairs. We thought it was you, of course. And then when I was walking up the stairs, I heard a door close. I thought that must have been you, too. Apparently not." His grip on her tightened. He didn't want to let on how utterly terrified that revelation had made him.

"Oh god." Bella clamped a hand over her mouth. "Jasper, please tell me it's nothing."

"I wish I could." Nowhere was safe anymore. Bella wasn't safe, and he didn't know what to do.

"That means whoever attacked me is somehow able to get in and out without being detected," Bella mumbled, almost talking to herself. "He might still be here for all we know." She cupped his head in her hand, looking him straight in the eye. "Jasper, we have to call the police."


	21. Naive

Disclaimer: 'Tis here in which I claimeth to owneth nothing…eth.

**A/N** After many false starts to this chapter, going on holiday, and then more false starts, it's here! Sorry for another long wait. I hope everyone had a fantastic summer, and yay for autumn! ^_^

Adore

Chapter 20 –Naïve

Charlie Swan was used to being woken up at all hours of the night. Most often, as was the case recently, it was due to robberies or break-ins, or the always fun domestic disturbances. On the rare occasion, he was called in after a body had been discovered. When his phone jolted him awake at 1am, he hoped it was not the latter.

And it wasn't. The Cullens and Bella Mercury had become well-known to Charlie over the years, mostly due to the trouble that Miss Mercury seemed to have following her around. It had only been a few days since they'd called to report a break-in at Esme and Carlisle's. With no leads, he had hit a dead end, and there hadn't been anymore disturbances reported in the area since. He hoped the crime streak was finally over, but as Bella calmly related new suspicions over the phone, her voice expertly concealing her panic, he realized that was not the case.

The problem wasn't that he didn't believe her, although it took a stretch of the imagination to admit it was a possibility. The real problem was that there was no real basis for her claims. _Someone could still be in the house._ Was that possible? The Cullens weren't liars. Bella wasn't a liar. They truly believed that someone had been able to enter the Cullen household undetected. As much as he tried to make sense of it, Charlie couldn't.

With what little sleep he'd gotten to tide him over, he dressed, grabbed his gun, and went to the station. Based solely on the fact that the Cullens had, in fact, been victims of violence before, he decided to take precautions. He grabbed one of his officers, who had nothing better to do than watch cartoons on his computer, apparently. The crime in Forks was certainly low.

Bella was the one to answer the door. "Sorry to call so late, Charlie," she said.

He peered around, noting the lack of Cullens present. "Where are the boys?"

She sighed, obviously tired and worried, but he detected a note of weariness as well. "They're searching the house with baseball bats and knives. I told them not to."

"I see…" He stepped in further, Officer Hanks following behind. "Do you think there's still someone in the house?"

Bella shrugged, at war with herself; logic versus instinct. "I don't even know. It felt like someone was here, but…I think we would all be dead by now."

They sat down in the den, going over what Bella had told him on the phone. The more she said, the more Charlie was convinced that the events from a few nights previous had taken their toll. He felt bad for the girl; it was obvious she was still traumatized, and he didn't want to make it worse by telling her it was all in her head. But she beat him to it.

"I'm just being paranoid, aren't I…" It wasn't a question. An hour ago, she had been convinced that someone was lurking in the Cullens' house. Now, after talking about it and letting it sink it, she felt like a fool. Her lovers believed it without question, however.

"We'll see," said Charlie. "Let Hanks and I have a look around before we condemn you to the insane asylum." Bella smiled despite herself.

And off they went to search the house from the basement on. Bella hugged her knees to her chest and attempted to practice the self-control she so desperately wished to obtain. She felt like such an idiot. A noise in a room, a phantom touch, a door closing…it wasn't exactly damning evidence to begin with. It had to be nothing.

But it didn't feel like nothing.

Bella rested her head on her knees, resisting the urge to throw herself a self hatred/pity party. But damn, was this all her fault? Her issues with Emmet…that was on her, yes. The break-in and the attack couldn't have been her fault, though, could it? _Not unless it was him._ If she'd just told them about Peter Wesley earlier, would any of this have happened?

It was bad enough being in the dark about something possibly dangerous to them, but she could handle that to some extent. That, at least, couldn't have been predicted or easily prevented, even if it did have something to do with her professor. What she couldn't handle was Emmett being unhappy with her. He still avoided all eye contact with her, and he said nothing in her presence. Whatever battle was going on in his head, he wasn't coming to them about it. Or at least not to her. _I deserve it_, she thought.

"Love, are you okay?" Edward touched the back of her head, worry etched across his face.

She shook her head. "I messed up, Edward. I don't know how you stomach me these days." Her thoughts had been growing darker for hours to the point where they were all anxious about what she might do. Emmett may not be saying much, but it was clear that no matter what Bella said or did, he would never love her less for it. She just didn't realize it.

"Bella, I get it," Edward sat down next to her. "I don't like it, but I understand, and I'm not angry."

"But you're hurt," Bella said, saying what he didn't want to reveal.

He paused, pursing his lips. "Yes…but it doesn't change anything, not really. I _do_ wish you'd tell us everything, but I know it isn't easy for you, and I know it will never come naturally. But I'm hoping we can work on this."

"We can. _I_ can," Bella said, eager. "I promise I'll try harder. For all of you." She didn't think she could bear to see the hurt and disappointment on their faces again, and she was willing to do just about anything to prevent it. In fact, she would schedule an appointment with Dr. Clearwater as soon as possible.

"Just take it easy," said Edward. "We always figure these things out, remember? We can meet any challenge head-on."

Bella hoped that was true.

* * *

><p>"Is this yours?" Charlie produced a pair of well worn khakis, his face dead serious. Everyone was confused. Why was he dangling Jasper's pants in the air?<p>

"They're mine," Jasper confirmed. "So…you went through our drawers?"

Charlie grunted, getting more and more irritated as the night went on. This was not going to be as clear-cut as he'd hoped. He could feel it. "No, Jasper, I did not. I found these in the attic."

They blanched.

"I haven't been in the attic," said Jasper. "I don't even think mom and dad go up there much. There was never much stored in there."

"Well someone's been up there. And you're right, it doesn't look like it's used for much, but I can tell you for sure that someone's been tidying up in there."

"What do you mean?" Emmett spoke for the first time in hours, surprising everyone. He ignored them. He was allowed to mope, wasn't he?

"I mean it's not dusty. Someone's been cleaning, and there's a pile of blankets at the far end of it. I almost shot the damn thing, that's how bulky it was. Thought he might under 'em." Charlie looked pissed, but not as pissed as the Cullens.

"He's been sleeping in the house?!" Jasper roared. His brothers expressed similar sentiments. "Who would do that?"

"Beats me," said Charlie. "He hasn't assaulted anyone or shown himself. It could be some freaky squatter. Never seen one who squats in an occupied house, though."

"An occupied house with a security gate and an alarm," Bella added. "He must know the passwords."

"We'll change them tonight," Edward said, saying anything to make himself feel less helpless. They all felt oblivious, stupid. How could they have missed this?

"Where do you think he is now?" Jasper growled. But it was anyone's guess. They couldn't possibly begin to guess this stranger's whereabouts when they didn't know who he (or she) was or what they wanted.

"Charlie, do you think it's safe for us to stay here, or should we go home?" Bella asked. She didn't want to sound weak or scared, but she longed for the comfort and safety of their house, their bed. Then again, how safe was their unsecured, unalarmed house when even Esme and Carlisle's home wasn't protected?

"Well he isn't here now," Charlie said. "We did a sweep of the whole property. My advice is to change the passwords. Lock everything, even your bedroom door. And, most important of all, be vigilant." He groaned, already getting a headache just thinking about how complicated this was. "I don't know what else to tell you, kids. This guy could be as innocent as an angel, but I'm not going to pretend there isn't a danger here. I have no idea what we're dealing with."

* * *

><p>"It's inevitable that there would be conflict. Every relationship goes through trials, and everyone comes with some form of baggage."<p>

"I know, but I want to dump my baggage, preferably in another state, or even Canada."

"Are you talking figuratively, Bella?"

"Of course. I'm not going all the way to Canada to literally drop off my belongings, Dr. Clearwater."

"Well that's one of the reasons you've been coming to me. And I have to say, I believe you've made great improvements over the last two years." Dr. Leah Clearwater whipped out her pen and paper and jotted down a note. Bella had never figured out if she was actually taking notes or if she was simply doodling with the intent of unnerving her clients.

"If I'm being honest, I can't really tell," Bella said. She wanted to think she'd made strides, but from where she was standing, it often looked as if she was just repeating the same angsts over and over.

"You don't believe in yourself enough," Dr. Clearwater said. "You should."

"I don't think I've been good enough to believe in myself," admitted Bella. "Sometimes I lie like it's second-nature."

"And is it?"

"Maybe. I used to lie all the time because I thought I had to. Or maybe it wasn't lying so much as being quiet. I never entirely got past that feeling of needing to hide things."

Dr. Leah Clearwater gazed at her in that appraising way that always made Bella uncomfortable or, in this instance, annoyed. "Who are you trying to protect when you do that?"

Bella didn't like that question. "Myself, mostly." It seemed the most honest answer, the one everyone would expect to be the truth. Pretending to be completely selfless in her motivations was pointless. "I want to protect them more, though."

"Your lovers?"

"Yes."

"What about when you were younger?"

Bella stared at her hands then, remembering the Bella from only a few short years ago and feeling so far away from her, yet still too close. How was anyone supposed to move on from a life like that? Thinking about it, she was amazed to still be alive. "I wanted to save myself," she said. "I didn't want anyone else to get involved, because then they'd get hurt, or things would change. Maybe for the worse. As much as I hated my life and I hated him, he was the devil I knew, and he was all I had. Sometimes I even made myself believe that he loved me, that he cared."

"You don't think that's true, though…"

Bella really wished she'd stop stating the obvious. "Of course not. He only cared about himself. I was just property to him; something to use."

"Do you love him?"

The silence that followed the question was immense. Bella had ten answers caught in her throat, and she didn't know which one to use.

"What kind of question is that?!"

"A tricky one, I know," Dr. Clearwater replied.

"Is it a necessary one?"

"Perhaps. I'm curious as to what your attachment to him is."

"He murdered my mom."

"I know."

"He raped me."

"I know, Bella."

"If you're thinking about Stockholm Syndrome, you can think again."

Dr. Clearwater leaned forward, placing her pad of paper face down on the table in front of her. "This isn't supposed to be easy, Bella. I'm not asking in order to hurt you, I'm asking because I want you to be able to be fully honest with yourself and to come to terms with your feelings without feeling shame."

"I'm not ashamed."

"Are you sure?"

Bella frowned. "I hate him."

"Hate and love go hand in hand sometimes. You're allowed to love someone who harmed you and others. You're also allowed to not love them. There's no one in this world who you should feel obligated to feel a certain way about, not even your parents. You can't dictate who you love and hate. Sometimes we love the people who hurt us the most."

"Yeah, and sometimes we hurt the people who love us the most."

Unlike some therapists, Dr. Clearwater didn't allow long silences. She liked to crack on, to get down to business. This was why Bella liked her so much, despite how aggravating she could be. "Talk to me, Bella. Tell me what you're thinking."

Bella grabbed the glass of water in front of her before answering. If nothing else, it would give her another twenty seconds to compose herself. "Okay." But where to start?

"Just say whatever is running through your mind," Leah instructed. "Anything. Your father, perhaps."

"You are quite keen to talk about my father today, aren't you…" Bella smirked at Dr. Clearwater, letting her know that she wasn't as pissed as she might appear, even though he was far from her favorite subject. She thought they had exhausted the topic before. Leah seemed to think otherwise.

"I always wanted to get away from him, but I never wanted to be rescued."

Leah nodded. "Go on."

Bella was already regretting this discussion. She felt uneasy going over all of it again. "I learned early on that I couldn't trust anyone, and the people I might be able to trust weren't capable of helping me anyway. More than anything, I didn't want to be that girl. I'm not a damsel in distress. I don't want to be some princess in a tower with super long hair who's waiting to be rescued by a prince."

"Your hair has gotten very long, by the way."

"Thank you, I know."

"So you wanted to be your own hero?"

"Something like that. I don't like that word, though. It's cheesy. I just wanted to escape and be on my own. I've never been alone, not in the physical sense. Even when I was locked in the basement, he would always come. And when I finally did get free…there were three men there to take me in."

"Do you ever want to be alone?"

Guilt crept back into Bella's body. "Sometimes. That's one of those things I don't feel I can say. It's not a slight on them personally. It has nothing to do with them. It's just that…I wanted to be away from people, from men, especially. I didn't want ties or to be indebted to anyone. My fantasy was to have a small place all to myself, maybe out in the woods, and to be in total isolation. And when I needed food or clothes, I could just walk a few miles to get into town. That always sounded like perfection to me."

She waited for Dr. Clearwater to speak, but she didn't. Bella wondered why she had nothing to say at times like this. Normally, she had some input on everything Bella said.

"When they saved me, all I wanted was to get away from them, too," Bella continued. "I hated being there, I hated being around them, and I was scared that I might have just stumbled into an even worse situation for myself. I even tried to leave, but they wouldn't let me. Part of it was them being selfish and wanting to keep me. But mostly I think they just wanted to protect me. I wasn't exactly making a good case for myself. And then…it all changed. I was surprised how fast I fell for them. I don't regret it, but…"

"Yes?"

Bella blushed. "It was too soon." She said it with reluctance. It was yet another fact that she had never said out loud before. She could barely admit it to herself. "Rushing into a relationship, let alone a weird, deviant relationship like ours, immediately after escaping my rapist father was not really the ideal scenario. It sounds unhealthy now that I've said it out loud. I was never in a position to be my own person or to be totally selfish with my time and energy. My life suddenly became about these three amazing men who vowed to love and take care of me forever. I'm lucky and I know it, but I can't help but wonder at times what kind of woman I'd be now if I'd been allowed to live a normal life by myself; if I had started from scratch with no one in my life."

"Would you change it if you could go back in time?" Leah asked.

"No." Even Bella was surprised by her lack of hesitation at that answer. She couldn't live without her boys. Or at least, it wouldn't be a very good life. It wasn't easy, but since when was love easy anyway?

"Interesting. I'm glad you know what you want," Leah said. "It's normal to be conflicted, though. Don't feel guilty for questioning what happened. You came out of a traumatic living situation and went straight into a…as you say, deviant, albeit much more pleasant one. I'm not certain you had the proper resources to truly recover, even with the help of your lovers."

"Well I don't know if that's true," Bella said, feeling defensive. "They've only ever tried to help me."

"I never said they didn't. But have you honestly been free to express yourself and make all your own decisions this whole time?"

"I…yes, for the most part."

"But you don't feel that you can tell them everything."

"Does anyone?"

"True. Do you think you'll ever be able to be open with them about these things?"

"Which things?"

"Your professor, for example."

"Yes…you have no idea how bad I feel about that."

"You mentioned that earlier. You seem to have guilt attached to you all the time. We need to work on that."

"Isn't that something I should feel guilty about, though?"

Leah shrugged. "Your motivations were in the right place. You told me so yourself."

"But that doesn't mean I was right to hide it from them."

"So? You learn from your mistakes. That's how life works. Everything bad that happens is an opportunity for good to emerge _if _you let it. You neglected to tell your lovers about your professor, now you're suffering the consequences. Next time you'll do things differently."

"There won't be a next time."

"Good. Either way, you've learned when you need to come out of hiding. The next time you feel the need to lie or conceal something from them, you'll know better."

"Hmm," Bella eyed the clock. Their time was almost up. "You know, sometimes it seems as if you're trying to sound like a wise old owl."

"I'm thirty-five."

"Owls don't usually make it to twenty."

Dr. Clearwater stared at her. "We have five minutes left, Bella. I still want to address your recent assault and the intruder you said was squatting in your in-laws' house."

"I don't even know what to say about that. I don't know enough about it yet."

"Well, how did you feel when you were assaulted?"

That was a stupid question. "Angry? Scared?" How else would she have felt?

"You don't feel like violence is following you around?"

Bella crossed her arms over her chest. "No, should I?"

"I simply thought you might feel targeted."

"By what, the universe? If I walked around with a persecution complex, I'd be in even worse shape than I am now."

"So it never crossed your mind?" Leah didn't believe it for one second.

Dammit. Why did she have to be spot-on? "Fine, it did. Of course it did. Sometimes I'm afraid I'll never be able to escape violent and creepy people. I try not to look at it that way, though. I'm not a victim. Things happen, and then you deal with it. Bad things happen to everyone at some point."

"Did it make you think of your father?"

Her father again. She didn't want to keep talking about him. "Being attacked? No. I'm not living in the past as much as you might believe." _There, now shut up about him already._

"And the intruder?"

"Well there were two. I suppose you mean the last one."

"Yes."

"I'm confused about that, and scared. It's scary when you don't know what you're dealing with. For all I know it could be the same person who attacked me."

"Is that what you think?"

Bella had spent a lot of time thinking about this. It all came down to logic again. "No. The first guy attacked me. Whoever this person is has been keeping to themselves for the most part."

"But you said he touched your face while you were sleeping."

"Possibly. Sometimes you imagine things when you're sleeping."

"Didn't Jasper hear someone moving around upstairs, though?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he was in the bedroom with me."

"Is that what you're choosing to believe?"

"I'm not choosing to believe anything; I'm keeping an open mind."

Out of their many sessions, this was by far the weirdest for Bella. They had always gone back and forth. Leah liked to push her, and Bella wanted to be pushed. Usually. This was certainly the most uncomfortable she'd been with Dr. Clearwater in a long time, however. She hadn't expected all of the questions that had been put to her, and it was forcing her to address things she had wanted to keep a distance from. But in the end, she felt better than she had when she first entered the room.

"Our time's almost up," Dr. Clearwater sounded annoyed by this fact, much to Bella's surprise. She enjoyed grilling her too much, that's what it was. "Just one more question before you leave."

Bella tensed. Dr. Clearwater was on a roll today.

"How did your father react when you were shot?"

Of all the questions she could have asked, that was surely one of the oddest. "What does that have to do with anything?" Bella asked.

"Bella, your issues and your path in life all stem from your father's actions. You're where you are now because of all the bad things that happened. The impact of that is enormous. Your feelings and actions are a direct result of that; it shaped you as a human being. It's important for us to establish that connection so that you can confront it head-on and come to terms with everything that's happened in your life and everything that you feel as a result of it. It's how you'll heal."

That didn't entirely sit well with Bella. "I thought I'd already started healing."

"You have, but it's a long process. We've made great progress since you began seeing me two years ago, but we're not done. And I'm afraid our little hiatus didn't help, either." That was true, Bella thought. Peter Wesley was what happened during Dr. Clearwater's maternity leave. She probably should have started seeing someone else during that time, but she was stubborn and she'd wanted to believe that she could survive without a therapist for a few months. Which she did. Barely. Her problems were like one large swamp, and Leah was right; it would take a long time to muck through all of them. Maybe starting at the root of the problem -her father- was the way to go. Still, she didn't understand Dr. Clearwater's train of thought.

"But I don't see what his reaction has to do with anything," she said.

"I'm trying to better understand your relationship with him and how he operates. There's a lot of gray area that shouldn't be ignored."

"So you want to dig deeper into my father's psyche?" Bella almost laughed.

"Something like that."

"Fine, I'll play along for now, although I still don't think it'll help." It was hard for her to go back to that time in her life. She was unconscious for a good part of. She'd been shot by Victor, she was terrified but trying to stay alive, and she was worried about her boys more than anything else. All she'd wanted to do was protect them from her father. And her father… "He was scared."

"Of what?"

"That I was going to die."

"He didn't want you to die?"

"Of course he didn't. I've told you this before, haven't I?"

"You did. I just find it interesting that he would value your life to such a degree when he abused you so horribly."

"He's not normal, Dr. Clearwater. Psychotic people are never easy to peg. I don't think there are enough questions in the world that would help you figure him out. But I'll reiterate what I told you before; he didn't see me as his daughter. In his head, I was his…lover. And a possession. The only person who was allowed to touch or abuse me was him. He'd protect me to no end from anyone else. He didn't want me to die, and I honestly don't know what he would have done with me if things had gone differently. I might still be there, locked up in a basement. Or I might have killed myself, it's hard to say."

Leah raised her eyebrows, seemingly surprised by something Bella had said.

"What?" Asked Bella.

"No, I was just thinking. The dynamics are interesting."

"What do you mean?"

Leah cleared her throat, pausing to take a drink of water. "Would you say your father viewed your relationship as a romantic one, and not simply a sexually possessive one?"

And with that, Bella felt sick. "You already know the answer to that. I don't see why that's so interesting, either."

"It's interesting because of where you are now."

Bella's jaw dropped. "I really don't appreciate you saying that, Dr. Clearwater."

"I didn't mean to offend – "

"Yes, what you meant was that I jumped from one fucked up relationship to another one, and that_ I'm_ fucked up because you think I seek deviance due to my 'relationship' with my father. But I wasn't in a relationship with my father, Leah. I was his hostage. And I don't know how a relationship like mine is possible or how we function, but it works and it isn't wrong. It also has nothing to do with my father. I fell in love, and there's never any logic to that, it just is." She felt thoroughly exhausted after her little rant. At the same time, she wanted to start running. Would it be possible to run all the way home?

"I apologize, Bella. I didn't mean to imply that your current relationship is wrong or a direct result of your father's abuse." But she did. It was written all over her face.

Bella took a deep breath. She didn't want to go off on her again. _Be reasonable, give her the benefit of the doubt. She's only trying to help, even if she is a bit aggressive. _"I know you didn't mean it that way, but please remember that I'm not my father. We may share some of the same DNA, and we may have some attributes in common, but he's a psycho and I'm just weird."

"I know, Bella."

"We're two minutes over our time," said Bella, champing at the bit.

"Right, well I'll see you next week." Dr. Clearwater stood up, extending her hand out to Bella. "I know it doesn't feel like it, but we're making progress."

"We'll see."

* * *

><p>All Bella wanted to do when she got home was collapse face-down on their big fluffy bed. Therapy had always been helpful and arduous simultaneously. This session had taken its toll more than usual, however. She normally admired and appreciated Leah's methods, despite the discomfort if often caused her. She believed in facing her demons and admitting to her weaknesses and the bad things that had happened to her. In order to move forward, she needed to acknowledge all of those things. But the questions Dr. Clearwater had put forward hit a different nerve. She wondered if there was an ulterior motive behind it, but couldn't fathom what it would be. Dredging up her childhood –again- in such a way struck Bella as odd, and it made her uncomfortable to the point where she wasn't sure she wanted to continue seeing Dr. Clearwater.<p>

"How did it go?" Jasper asked.

They were all waiting at the front door when she drove up. They'd finally moved back into their house the day before, and god it was wonderful. She would choose their dinky house over a luxurious mini-mansion any day.

"Not that well," Bella confessed, accepting Jasper's open arms and laying her head on his chest.

"What happened?" Edward asked, anxious. He had hoped this would be a good thing for her. She was so intent on changing and improving herself, and he could see the stress on her face.

"She kept asking questions about my father. I felt like she was insinuating something nasty." And that was what it was. Had Dr. Clearwater been implying that Bella missed her father? _Do you love him?_ But she couldn't stand to contemplate everything that had been said right now. Looking at it in hindsight was somehow worse.

"Ew," said Emmett. "Has she gone crazy?"

"Yeah, I think I need to take a shower. But right now I just want to do nothing. I can't believe she made me feel icky. Are therapists supposed to do that?"

"No," Jasper said, his voice flat. He would need to have a word with Dr. Clearwater.

"I think she's trying a more abrasive method. She wants me to confront my past or something…as if I haven't already."

"Maybe you should switch doctors," Edward said.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I don't want to make a rash decision, though…" Bella was genuinely disappointed, and they could tell. Dr. Clearwater was placing her past issues over her current, predominant ones. Her father had nothing to do with recent events, and she'd rather forget about him for the time being and focus on what was relevant now. Perhaps her past was just too fascinating for Leah to pass up. She made for a potentially thrilling head case, after all. It was a shame, since Bella had begun to see her as almost a friend. Now she felt ill at the thought of next week's session.

"Let's go inside, babe," Emmett said. He hadn't said much over the last few days, but it was something. Anything was better than being ignored.

They lay stretched out on the bed ten minutes later, all of them mentally exhausted from the events of the last two weeks. Their only hope right now was for things to go back to normal. No more Professor Wesley, no more intruders.

"I talked to Charlie while you were gone," Jasper whispered, running his fingers through Bella's hair soothingly.

"Anything new?"

He shook his head. "There's nothing. They found some hair on the blankets in the attic, but that's it. No suspects."

"I'm worried about Carlisle and Esme being there by themselves," Bella said. They had all been thinking it. "Do you think they're safe?"

"I don't know. I talked to dad earlier, and he said they'll make sure the house if safe before they move back in. I decided to pick them up at the airport tomorrow. This is something we should talk about face-to-face."

"I agree," Bella replied. "I feel so bad about it, even though I know it was just bad timing. I feel responsible."

"It's not our fault, Bella," Edward said. "Like you said, bad timing and bad luck. Although I'm glad our parents didn't have to deal with that. At least there were four of us. But with just the two of them, who knows what would have gone down."

"Ugh." Bella buried her face further into Jasper's neck. "Makes me mad thinking about it."

"We'll figure it out tomorrow", Edward said. "Let's just try to forget about everything for tonight."

* * *

><p>Five hours later, Bella woke up next to her car, her hand grasping the door. She sighed in frustration.<p>

Sleepwalking. Again.

"Dammit."


End file.
